This year’s big trip was to France, where we cruised the Rhone River. We flew to Paris for three days at a hotel near the Crown Plaza.
The plaza included many activities for people of all ages.
The plaza served as a starting point for walking tours.
Our tour included a boat ride on the Seine River, soon to be a center of the Olympic games.
From Paris, we took a fast train to Lyon, where we embarked on our river boat, the MS Chanson.
Lyon was the center of the French resistance during the Second World War.
We couldn’t resist joining a couple of locals who had helped save their neighborhood from gentrification.
Viviers offered neat views from high above the Rhone River.
Because we were traveling through wine country, we of necessity did a lot of sampling.
Avignon is famous for its “Bridge to Nowhere.” Feel free to sing along, if you know the associated song.
One of the nearby tourist attractions is Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct.
Our last port of call was Arles, pronounced as only a true pirate can manage.
The bull farm that we visited was not what I expected. The bulls are raised to be mean and nasty. We watched the bulls from the safety of a wagon, pulled by a tractor. They are herded by cowboys on horseback, never cowboys on foot.
We disembarked the Chanson and took a bus to Nice. Along the way, we stopped at an American Cemetery. Those who had served paid their respects.
We had tried to add a post-trip to the Italian Riviera but applied too late. Instead, we stayed in Nice for a few extra days. The large plaza in Nice features a statue with perfect buns.
Protesting seems to be the national pastime in France. I have no idea what these people were protesting.
The French Riviera has a variety of beaches. The one in Nice is gravel.
We did an excursion by train to the French Alps. Some fresh snow added to the beauty of the mountains.
We also took a very short train ride to Monte Carlo.
Large stands were being erected for an upcoming Monte Carlo auto race. We walked most of the route. Linda thought that was too much walking.