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Sunday April 12, 2026 - Tournon France

By Ellen Outten
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  We had a rainy day today.   Our tour was to include a bus ride to a scenic railroad, and a train ride on a narrow gauge railroad through a gorge.    All in all, we didn’t get too wet between bus and train and the train had enclosed cars.   We made it about 1/3 of the way up the gorge before the train “broke” and we headed, backwards, to the station. Not a major disappointment given the weather and the temperature. We had lunch of the ship and afterwards, Bettiann and I played cribbage the rest of the afternoon as we sailed from Tournon to Avignon. At 3 pm, our chef gave us a demonstration on how to make chocolate lava cake and afterwards “afternoon tea” was served with small sandwiches and a few pastries.   Tomorrow we have a walking tour of Avignon and the Pope’s Palace where the papacy was moved from Rome to Avignon between 1309 - 1377. We shall see.  Weather is still going to be an issue tomorrow morning . Not a bad thing for us to have a relaxing...
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Saturday April 11, 2026 Vienne France

By Ellen Outten
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  Gorgeous strawberries  Today, the weather was beautiful and we decided to ignore the included walking tour to the Roman Amphitheater.  As Wayne would say, you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.   And I’ve seen a bunch.  So, being Saturday in Vienne, it was market day and they boast the second largest outdoor market in all of France.    So off we set, crossing the Rhone on the pedestrian bridge beside our ship and up into town to the market.   There were lots of vegetable stands and equally as many fromage and charcuterie stalls.    Cheeses normally separate stands from the meat stands. There were also lots of clothing, and shoes and then there were the roasted chickens. But the highlight was, for me, the vegetable stands.  The produce looks amazing.  So what you’re going to see pictures of are the produce stands. Forefront light yellow is Endive Chard.  Or I’m guessing Swiss chard  Some really big artichokes here in...
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Friday April 10, 2026 Beaujolais France

By Ellen Outten
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We took the morning tour to Beaujolais wine country.   With a short stop in the town of Beaujeu France for a stretch of the legs and a gift store and a church.   We were really on our own, either no lecture or talk, so Bettiann and I wandered into the church, Englise Saint Nicolas to look at the stained glass. A quick stop in the local gift shop, and we were off to Beaujolis country to walk around the vineyard and taste some wine.   I’m getting as jaded as Wayne.  We tasted four wines and I don’t like any of them and for my wine drinkers, we tasted one white (Chardonnay) and three Cru Beaujolais which are supposedly much better.   In this case I cannot say Viva La France!   Please don’t say it’s an acquired taste.   I don’t smell floral bouquets or oak or pepper or whatever they tell me I’m supposed to smell.   I don’t understand when they say “serve this wi e with lamb and sweet potatoes.   Or serve it with grilled meat and French fries. ...
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