Sandy's Travels 2016 - 2018: Cruise from Rouen, France to Venice, Italy

Cruise from Rouen, France to Venice, Italy

June 20-21, 2017 - Orlando to Rouen

It was a very long trip, but worth it. I flew to Charlotte and then on to Paris. I took the Metro to the St. Lazare train station and then a non-air conditioned train to Rouen. I’m here for four nights before joining the Silversea Silver Spirit.

June 22, 2017 - Rouen, France

Today I did my walk of the city. I started with the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, which I think is bigger then its namesake in Paris. Next I went to the city hall and the Art Museum. I saw one of my favorite Monet paintings, which has inspired me to paint again. For some reason, the meals I’m having have not been up to my expectation for French food.

June 23, 2017 - Normandy Beaches

Today I took a full day tour to the Normandy Beaches. We started in the small town of Bayeux and our first stop was Pointe du Hoc, where the US Rangers landed and had to take the German’s canons out of action, after first scaling the cliffs.

The second stop was Omaha beach, one of the five landing sights, along with Utah, Gold, Juno and Sword. They usually appear during trivia so I have a heads up.

The final stop was the American Cemetery, where 1000s of soldiers were buried.

View from Pointe du Hoc, Normandy

Omaha Beach, Normandy

Memorial at the American Cemetery, Normandy

1000s of gravestones

June 24, 2017

After my long day yesterday I slept in. For some reason all the cafes were closed when I went out for lunch, so I’m back in my room with a baguette, cheese and a bottle of wine. When in France…

June 25-26, 2017

I boarded the Silversea Silver Spirit today, my home away from home. We stayed in Rouen another two days and I spent my time walking up and down the Seine River. It was a beautiful sail on the winding river to reach the Atlantic. I was surprised at how narrow the river was for this cruise ship.

June 27, 2017 - Guernsey, UK

Our first port of call was Guernsey, UK, one of the Channel Islands. The weather was rainy and cold and I opted to stay on board. I had been to Guernsey in 2015 and there wasn't much to see.

June 28, 2017 - Saint Malo, France

The bad weather continued in Saint Malo, France, but since I had never been there I braved the cold and damp weather. This is a medieval walled city that was destroyed by the Germans during WWII. I has been completely restored and is very charming to walk the cobbled streets.

Walled city of Saint Malo

June 30, 2017 - La Rochelle, France

The weather continues to be chilly, but at least there was no rain while I visited La Rochelle. I had been here many years ago on an Atlantique cycling trip. My favorite part of that trip was eating mussels. I enjoyed a bucket for lunch along with the best french fries I have ever had. The market place was full of fruits, vegetables, fish and meat. The artichokes were humongous. Unfortunately the weather will continue to be iffy the next few days.

The Towers protecting the harbor

The city market

Marching peppers

Enjoying mussels, beer and French fries (in France)

July 1, 2017 - Le Verdon (Bordeaux) and Soulac Sur Mer

Today’s port was Le Verdon and I visited the town of Soulac Sur Mer. It was a charming beach town that I’m sure is packed when the sun is out and when it is hotter. I took the bus to Soulac Sur Mer and wandered the streets until I found the Statue of Liberty (a smaller version) overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Am I in NYC

July 2, 2017 - St. Jean de Luz, France

Unfortunately the seas were too rough to stop here, so off to Bilbao a day early.

July 2-3, 2017 - Bilbao, Spain

Sunny weather at last. Bilbao is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve been to. The modern section has the amazing Guggenheim Museum and the old town has the theater and train station. This is definitely a port I hope to travel to again.

Sculpture at the Guggenheim

Guggenheim Museum architecture

A flowering Guggenheim dog

The Opera House in Bilbao

The train station

Gay flags are everywhere

July 4, 2017 - Coruna, Spain

I walked five miles visiting the Hercules Tower, the old town and the beaches. Coruna and Bilbao are very different from the older cities of Madrid and Barcelona.

Plaza in Coruna

An empty beach

July 5, 2017 - Porto, Portugal

A few years ago I did a river cruise from Porto up the Duoro River. Today I spent the afternoon wandering around the old town.

The Douro River in Porto

July 6-7, 2017 - Lisbon, Portugal

This is the fourth time I’ve been to Lisbon and it is always beautiful. I walked up and down hills the first day and did some needed shopping the second day. The food is amazing, similar to Spain, but with a different taste. We picked up many new passengers today, so I need to make new friends.

The main square

Eiffel's elevator in Lisbon

July 8, 2017 - Portimao, Portugal

It was nice to visit a quiet peaceful town after the larger ports of Lisbon and Porto. I walked to the Central Market where the specialty was the sardines. Needless to say, I did not buy any. I lost myself in the wandering streets before eventually seeing the Silver Spirit in the distance.

The port of Portimao

July 9, 2017 - Seville, Spain

We docked in Cadiz, Spain and I took an all day tour to Seville. The last time I was there was in 1965, 52 years ago. I did not remember a thing. Our first stop was the magnificent Plaza de Espana. Next we walked to the Real Alcazar, the first royal palace in Seville, which has served as the royal residence of the royal family. The Moorish architecture is mixed with Gothic.

Plaza de Espana

Real Alcazar

Colorful tile

The gardens

After a great tapas lunch, we visited the Cathedral and the Giralda, the tower of Seville’s principal mosque. The cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world.

The cathedral (my one for the day)

The bullring

July 10, 2017 - Malaga, Spain

Since I’ve been here multiple times, I just walked along the harbor and city center, enjoying the perfect weather.

Julie - There really are penguins in Malaga

July 11, 2017 - Cartegena, Spain

Another repeat city (many times) but it has one of the best preserved Roman theatres. I always climb to the top of the castle to get a magnificent view of the harbor and city. There was this really strange ship in the harbor, it looked like a sail boat but it had no windows below deck.

Strange Russian ship in harbor, no windows

The Silversea Silver Spirit

July 13, 2017 - Trapani, Sicily, Italy

This is a new port and a very old fishing village. We didn’t arrive until noon, so I missed the fish market, but the smell was ever present. The coastal views were fantastic with bright blue seas.

July 14, 2017 - Valletta, Malta

I was here 22 years ago, and I still remembered the port. It has become a lot more crowded and commercial in the time. It was extremely hot today and I barely survived my 3 mile walk.

July 15, 2017 - Corfu, Greece

This was the final port of my 22 day cruise. I walked to the old town and was surprised how crowded the city was. As with previous ports, the streets were packed with tourists and locals alike.