Sunday, 20 September

 

Cruise Map 

Leaving home and making our way across the world is never fun.  This time, we asked for assistance at each airport. [this is a late development in Larry’s mobility – too bad a week before the trip] It was no picnic at Pearson – there were so many people waiting for help that it wasn’t quick or smooth. However, we eventually were taken, Larry in a wheelchair, through the shorter security line. Then, after another wait, we were taken part way to our gate in a golf cart. It was still a significant walk. We were soon pre-boarded and settled in easily.

First Night Sunset by Sheila Wilkes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AMA Amacello 

 

Monday, 21 September –

About 7 hours later, we landed in Zurich, and were immediately taken through passport control and to a lounge, where we relaxed until someone came with a wheelchair to take us a long way through the  terminal to our gate. Such beautiful stores we passed along the way!! But it wasn’t the time for shopping or browsing. Soon we were pre-boarded onto a smaller plane and left for Nice. On the way, we crossed the Alps and flew out over the Mediterranean before landing.  [a great view of Nice coming in to land just off the Mediterranean ]

Again we were met by someone with a wheelchair, who stayed with us until we were in the AMA vehicle. He even retrieved our luggage for us. We spotted an AMA rep in the luggage area, who directed us to the driver waiting outside. Another couple, from Chicago, who’d been on the same flight, rode with us to the hotel. The driver pointed out several points of interest along the way.

Our hotel, the Hyatt Palais de la Méditerranée, is lovely, comfortable and convenient, looking out across the Promenade Anglais to the Mediterranean. However, after 2 hours, our luggage had not come to our room, so I talked to the concierge – his staff claimed they couldn’t deliver it because no one told them what room we were in! It came quickly then. We had napped and settled in by then.

The AMA group of about 60 people met for a glass of wine and information about our activities, then we had dinner at the hotel restaurant and turned in for the night.

Tuesday, 22 September –

I had been awake during the night and thought I wouldn’t sleep any more, but surprise!! Suddenly it was 8:30 and we needed to dress, have breakfast and meet the group by 9:15. Luckily, there’s a buffet breakfast, so we were quick.

We boarded 2 busses for a narrated ride around Nice, then got off for a short walking tour on a hillside, with great views over the city, and to the surrounding countryside. Larry and I joined the “gentle” group for that walk. We were amazed by the very old, very luxurious places, such as Queen Victoria’s “Regina” hotel and the Russian Orthodox Cathedral. 

Of course, we heard many stories of the rich and famous. This has been a winter retreat for a very long time, but before that, it was valued by Greeks, Germans and others. It seems to have changed nationalities several times. At another stop, several people, including Larry, decided to return to the hotel while the rest of us explored the old city on foot. Our guide, Marie, had lots of great stories, as she led us into what used to be the flower market.

It is now a general market. I was most impressed by the artwork that was for sale,  but didn’t stop long enough to buy any. After enjoying wandering there for a while, and having said goodbye to Marie, I walked back to the English Promenade and along it to the hotel, with a couple of other ladies.

 By then I was very hot and very tired, so I joined Larry in our room for a rest before we went out in search of lunch. We checked out several nearby restaurants, and finally had exactly what we were looking for (which may have included some beers and a latte) at Café de Paris. We headed for the beach: Larry wisely chose to view it from a bench in a shelter on the promenade. I, foolishly, thought I’d get my feet wet. Ha! It’s a rocky beach (side note – if you sit on a rocky beach in a thong bikini the result isn’t pretty) and I was wearing sandals I didn’t want to get wet.

I took them off at the edge of the dry area, but then stones started collapsing beneath me and I nearly fell in. The climb up and re-donning of shoes was most undignified, but I made it. Next we checked out a little store that had souvenirs and snacks [and beer], before going back to our room. It was only late afternoon, but felt like day’s end.

Photos of the Day

Wednesday, 23 September

We set our alarm, so we had lots of time to enjoy a proper breakfast in the hotel restaurant, before we joined the group for the day’s excursion to Monaco, Eze and Monte Carlo.

Our first stop, Eze (pronounced Ez) is a mediaeval village

high on the cliffs that edge the Mediterranean. We climbed steep streets and learned about the interesting history of the place. There used to be a castle at the top, and its position was meant to be a protection against pirates and other invaders. One story involved the lack of water to the town, meaning a hard task of hauling it every day. In the early 20^th century, a wealthy resident had water piped to his house and then to a public fountain

for the rest of the town. The fountain is still there and working, but apparently not used much.

From Eze, we drove into Monaco. It’s so tiny and so densely-populated! It’s especially busy right now, with the annual Yacht show in progress.

The harbour is a showplace of magnificent boats. We also saw the route of the annual F1 Grand Prix race that winds up and down hills and through tunnels. Traffic was terrible and the streets were crowded. We strolled through the old city, stopping for lunch at a very busy, but nice restaurant, and then gathered again to drive to Monte Carlo, a very special part of Monaco.

Several of our group, including Larry, chose to sit in a pleasant, relatively quiet garden while the rest of us walked up to the casino area. I chose not to pay the 20 Euros to get into the casino itself, but saw the opulent and huge reception area

 that also serves the opera, then walked around the square outside for a while. I found that I didn’t enjoy the atmosphere of competitive wealth and celebrity-gawking, and returned to the garden. Soon we were once again making our way, on elevators (thankfully!) through the Oceanographic Museum and back to our bus. The drive back to our hotel in Nice was pleasant, with wonderful views of the Mediterranean and over the city. Once again it was snacks for supper and then packing to leave tomorrow.

All Photos of the Day 

Thursday, 24 September

 We enjoyed our breakfast on the higher level of the hotel atrium, where we had a  good view of the Mediterranean, then boarded the bus to leave Nice. We saw lovely and interesting scenery, and heard about the history of the area all the way to Arles. At Aix-en-Provence (not pronounced the way I always  thought – more like Ex-on-Provance) we spent a couple hours roaming that very interesting city.

The cathedral, for instance was built over several centuries and features a deep baptism area that had been used by the Romans for their rituals, and a very modern altar area. The outer 2 doors represent very different ages of architecture. Part of the time was in the clothing market, where we each made a purchase. We enjoyed a light lunch at a café

and rejoined the bus for the rest of the trip. Arles is another interesting place with Roman aqueducts and an amphitheatre. We went straight to the wharf and boarded the Amacello.

We were greeted warmly and soon were settling into our comfortable stateroom. During the intro of all the ship’s senior staff and the relaying of essential info, we spotted Cathy, Sheila and Carol arriving from their Poland & Prague pretour,

so by dinner our group was complete.

We greatly enjoyed the Chef’s Table sampling dinner. Apparently, our enjoyment of the meal and our reunion was obvious, because by the end of the meal, Deb from Maine, who'd been at the next table, had joined us. We hope to continue that acquaintance.

Photos of the Day    

Friday, 25 September

This morning we did a gentle walking tour of Arles. The old Roman ruins are great to visit,

 and we got the story of Van Gogh’s time here. Lovely place to walk around, but cobbled streets do not make for easy walking. As a result, we decided to skip the afternoon’s walking tour of Avignon and

enjoy time relaxing on the river instead. 

The ship was delayed entering the lock on the way to Avignon, so we arrived there just in time for happy hour.  Those on tour had been waiting a long time. We met another lady from Tennessee travelling alone, who joined us for dinner, making a table of 6. We enjoyed sharing stories. By the end of dinner we were ready to turn in.

 Photos of the Day

Saturday, 26 September

When we awoke, we were docked at Viviers. We joined the gentle walking tour and had a fabulous morning in the lovely old village. Like many other places we’ve see on this trip, it is built on a hill, so our walking tour involved slopes and stairs, but we made it to the very top, so we could visit the cathedral. 

It’s the smallest active cathedral in France, about the size of a good-sized regular church, and very interesting to see. The 5 large tapestries that formerly hung in the altar area are no longer there, so that area is somewhat bare. On the way up and down, our terrific guide, Jan, told us local stories and pointed out the many ways that the history of the place is reflected in its buildings. Roman arches incorporated into house fronts, for instance.

One fancy house was renovated and decorated  by a famous grifter, Noel Albert, in the 16^th century. Another building, still used as a hospice, was donated and funded by another local wealthy man. We were back on board in time for lunch, followed by an ice cream and Crepes Suzette party, after which we relaxed in our state room and watched the world go by.

Photos of the Day 

Sunday, 27 September

Last night we came second in a wild and woolly game of something – not sure what to call it, but we had to come up with one-word things in various categories, starting with particular letters of the alphabet. The catch was that if another team used the same word, neither team scored. 

This morning we toured Vienne,

another ancient town with Roman structures and cobbled streets. We rode a tram to the highest point, overlooking the city. We had spectacular views of the

Roman theatre and other important structures. After riding back to the lower level, we saw the Roman temple, which has had very little restoration, and

the cathedral, which was built over several centuries and reflects various styles. We walked back across a pedestrian bridge to our boat.

Photos of the Day

Monday, 28 September

This morning we drove through the countryside to Cluny, the site of a

Benedictine abbey that was established in 910. It was small at first, with just 6 monks, but it reported directly to the pope, grew rapidly, and became wealthy. It was motherhouse of over 1000 monasteries, which became the Clunic order. It went into decline and eventually its stonework became a quarry for local builders.

The town was fascinating, and we saw the remains that still stand of the huge cathedral that was on the grounds as well as reproductions of the old grandeur, and relics that were uncovered by archaeologists. Our guide, Francoise, was amazing. She also told us the story of the local resistance movement during World War II, and the bombing of the town in August 1944. The Nazi officer, Klaus Barbie (the butcher of Lyon) was responsible for much grief in the area. We’ve heard about him several times on our tours. On the way to and from Cluny

we passed many vineyards. The harvest was very early this year because of the very hot, dry summer. Apparently this means a lower yield, but higher quality wine. In the afternoon, most people went on a wine-tasting tour (this is Burgundy after all!), while the rest of us stayed on board and napped and/or watched the scenery as we cruised to our next stop.

All Photos of the day 

Tuesday, 29 September

Yesterday we came farther than planned, because today there is a general strike in France. The Captain brought us through 2 locks that he feared might be closed today. So we took the bus back to Tournus, to visit the Abbey of Philibert.  

Unlike the one at Cluny, it has survived more or less intact. Much of it is in private hands, but the Romanesque church is public. The stained glass windows were replaced in the 1960s with modern ones, because many of the original ones had been damaged or destroyed during World War Two.

The organ, with more than 1000 pipes, dates back about 6 centuries. There are 12^th century mosaics around the ambulatory. It was another awesome experience of the history of this area. 

Back on the ship we relaxed until time for the disembarkation briefing, and the farewell cocktails, and evening entertainment (a day early because people are otherwise engaged tomorrow).

Photos of the Day 

Wednesday, 30 September

We’re still docked at Chalon, and this morning drove to Beaune, where we visited the Hotel Dieu.

It was established as a hospital for the poor in 1443. The nursing community ensured that it continued to maintain its principles of charity and care in that building until 1971. It continues in the modern hospital. 

It was originally a very different type of place with patients sharing beds to stay warm. There is an herb garden and a pharmacy as well as a church. It was supported by the income from a vineyard and wine auctions, which still continue to provide income for this place. There is beautiful art, including an altar piece and many tapestries. 

Even the roofs of the buildings are works of art.

 

Photos of the Day 

Thursday, 1 October

 We were out of bed at 4 am, to put our bags out, have a buffet breakfast and board the bus at 5 to ride to the airport in Lyon. It was about a 2-hour drive, and along the way we experienced the first rain of this trip. I’m sure it was welcome after the very hot and dry summer. 

At the airport, we were escorted to the check-in area, then taken by wheelchair through security and to the boarding lounge. We were in good time for our flight to Frankfurt. In Frankfurt Airport, we had to stand on a wild bus ride to the terminal, then were met by wheelchair people, who took us through border control, and onward to our boarding lounge. 

Somehow Cathy and Carol were booked on a later flight, so although we boarded fairly quickly, they waited in the lounge for 5 hours. Sheila was visiting her sister, who lives in France, so we had said good-bye the night before. 

We never enjoy the 7-hour trip from Europe, but eventually we were in Pearson Airport, at some new terminal, from which we took a very long bus ride, crossing paths with several taxiing airplanes, to Terminal One, where we completed customs and immigration procedures and retrieved our luggage. 

After a pleasant limo ride we were finally home and soon made our way to bed. The whole trip, from rising on the boat to our front door, was about 22 hours, so we weren’t up for much of anything else.

Post-trip reflections

This was a great trip! I highly recommend AMA Waterways river cruises. The schedule and excursions are very well thought-out and we were well-fed and taken care of the whole time, both during the pre-cruise stay in Nice and aboard the Amacello. The stateroom was a little small, but we didn’t really spend a great deal of time there, and it was comfortable. 

During the whole cruise, I felt immersed in the long and turbulent history of the area, from pre-Roman times, through the Second World War. We saw wonderful art and beautiful buildings, shopped in interesting markets, and heard great stories. Everyone catered to our comfort. 

We were very fortunate to experience warm dry weather, after the blazing heat they’d had all summer until just several days before our arrival. We met several very interesting people on board, and enjoyed great conversations. Of course, this was an "Intrepids" trip, though there were only 5 of us in the group, and that guarantees that we’ll be with compatible friends for much of the time. The others were more interested in wine-tasting and some of the local food specialties, so when we met up each day for dinner, we had stories to exchange. For instance, did you know that truffles are now searched out by dogs, not pigs? Interesting, right?

Favourite Staff Photos by Sheila Wilkes