Day 45 1 September

Thank you for Fathers' Day messages.  Hope you enjoyed your day, Keith, Mark, Tony and Brendon.  Thinking of you all.

Today Anne hosted the Gibsons to morning tea.  It was a beautiful sunny day so we were able to gather outside in the courtyard, took lots of photos and enjoyed getting to know this family connection - cousin Patrick and Barbara, cousin Simon and Ann and their two children Tom and Angela with her husband Rick, and cousin Cathy.  We hope we are able to keep in touch.

After lunch, Anne took us to her bowling green for some practice ends.  Anne had not played for some time so she was keen to have a practice as she has a game on Monday.  Simon took a few turns and enjoyed that too.

We attended Mass at St Joseph's Church in Lytham.

Tomorrow Patrick is driving us to Manchester to catch the plane to Dublin.  So once again we pack the cases and move on.  We have been very fortunate to be able to stay here with Anne and appreciate all she has shared with us.  The temperature is certainly cooler here tonight.  Hope Ireland does not get too cold!  It is hard to believe that we have been away from NZ for over 6 weeks now.  Each day continues to bring something new.  

Have not heard a rugby score yet, so are presuming it could be a Sunday match?   Love to all.

Day 44 31 August

Happy birthday Anna!  Thinking of you today.

We have just got home from a lovely celebration dinner at the Dalmeny Hotel, St Annes.  Anne had invited the Gibsons - Patrick and Barbara, Simon and Anne, Cathy, and her two neighbours to join us. It was a lovely meal, plenty of music and fun.  We enjoyed meeting up again and of course had lots to talk about. It is late so this blog will be very brief.

The day passed quietly with a visit to the hairdresser for the three of us followed by our last circuit of Lytham.  We are aware that the Ranfurly Shield is up for grabs so will wait for the result!

Tomorrow Anne has invited the Gibsons for morning tea and we will then have to think about packing. So until tomorrow, love to all.  Hope you are having a great weekend.

Day 43 30 August

Today we met Patrick, eldest son of Pat and Mary Gibson, and Cathy, only daughter.  Anne invited them for morning tea.  We enjoyed chatting, especially about the life of their recently deceased mother, Mary.  Patrick also shared snippets of the life of Pat, an RAF pilot.  It was so good and we look forward to meeting the family again tomorrow evening at dinner.

This afternoon we again took to the footpaths and walked, browsed and shopped.  We called into the Railway Hotel and photographed the displays featuring golfer Bob Charles, winner of the British Open in 1963.  Simon remembers it well.

We have begun preparing for Ireland, really thinking about the places we will be visiting and where we will be staying.  Looks good on paper!

The temperature has dropped a notch but still very pleasant. Anne's garden is in full bloom.  Today she harvested a bucket of lavender which has pride of place on the hearth, delicious perfume and very pretty.  The bees love it too so there is still heaps to cut back.

And so concludes another day in this very beautiful, peaceful place.  Love to all.

Day 42

A significant day for us today.  We met with Simon and Anne Gibson who drove us to the cemetery to visit the graves of Pat and Mary Gibson.   The headstone is now ready to be put in place - very beautifully done.  Anne had organised flowers, we took some photographs and reflected on the recent death of Mary.

Simon and Anne invited us to their home for a chat and refreshments.  We enjoyed this very much.  The two Simons caught up with the achievements of Uncle Pat both in sport and in the RAF.  Simon had many interesting photographs to share.  He has gathered information from many sources and is preparing to write a book.  We also saw the scrapbook record of their family trip to NZ.  If all goes to plan, Simon and Anne hope to travel out to NZ at the end of the year.

We hope to meet Patrick and Barbara Gibson tomorrow morning.  Anne has invited them around for coffee.  On Friday evening we all gather for a meal, a family celebration for Anne's 70th birthday.   Thanks to Anne we are able to catch up and connect with  family in this part of the world.

We continue to be impressed with Lytham.  We briefly sighted the golf course today.  We are enjoying walking everywhere.

So comes to close another day.  Thanks for the emails.  

Day 41

Another quiet day in Lytham, fine, warm and restful.  We spent the morning attending to domestic tasks, responding to emails etc. Early afternoon Simon mowed the lawn and Faye completed the crosswords and did a little ironing. Anne had some shopping to do before she prepared a super chicken meal for tea.  Easy life this!

We enjoyed a stroll into the village and browsed the shops.  So you will see there is not a lot to share.  All is well. We are now watching the American Open Tennis.

We have a number of things we want to do while we are here, catch up with the Gibson family, visit the cemetery where Uncle Pat and Aunty Mary were buried, catch sight of the golf course where the British Open was played in 2012 and explore Anne's bowling territory.

Simon comments:

Yes life is quiet and relaxing, that  is expected I guess.  I must say we do get very good coverage of what is happening in Kiwi land. On a daily basis we get the Herald News through the Internet!  Always good to catch up on the news.  We begin our plans for Ireland tomorrow, some reading and studying the maps.

Love to all.  Think of you often.

Day 40 27 August

Another restful quiet day.  Anne is just 10 minutes walk from the village of Lytham and the sea so we took a walk to explore a few areas close to her home.  The estuary is quite expansive with an established promenade along the waterfront.  The village of Lytham prides itself on its floral presentations around the streets - flowers in bloom in boxes, pots, hanging baskets.  Being a public holiday in England today, there were many people out to enjoy the fabulous warm sunny day.  The shops look inviting so that will be a must on the to do list.  We dined Italian tonight so have just got in from a lovely stroll home, so different from the pace of London. 

On a more practical note, we have caught up with the washing, made our plans for the rest of the week and enjoyed having time to ourselves.  We have yet to confirm our plans to meet with the Gibsons - Simon and Anne, Patrick and Barbara, and Cathy.  We are looking forward to catching up with them.

So we are enjoying seeing another part of England.  Thanks for keeping us in the loop with news from home.  Until tomorrow, love to all.

Day 39 26 August

This morning we woke to more rain, but by the time we set out for Mass it had cleared.  It was really good to visit Westminster Cathedral again, our last "walk about" in London.  Of course, we had to pack up once again and check out of the hotel.  The suitcases are a little lighter!

We are disappointed we did not get to experience the cricket at the Oval, but then that is always a possibility with this sport.  We will catch up on TV

Today we travelled by bus to Anne's place in Lytham.  We left London at 1.30 pm and arrived here at 8 pm.  It was a long trip but very pleasant with lots to see as we moved through the various areas.  We had a 30 min stop at Birmingham to grab a bite to eat etc.

Anne had prepared for us so we are really spoilt and we are looking forward to our time here with her. What a beautiful area this is, quite close to the sea and lots of green.  It think we will be able to catch up on some good walking.  Anne's two storied home is lovely with that touch of NZ in the photographs and the art works.  

Must away to bed now.  It will be the beginning of another new week for you all - school, work, commitments.   Love to all.

Day 38 25 August

This will be a brief blog tonight as we have done very little today.  We had our tickets for the cricket at the Oval but it has rained all day so there was no play.  We took a taxi to Regent Street, browsed and returned to the Hotel.  Anne went to the Oval and picked up the hamper she had ordered for our lunch.  We met back at the hotel shared the lunch and rested for the rest of the day, our tea being the remainder of the hamper!   

Tomorrow we catch Mass at Westminster Cathedral before we head for Lytham by bus.  Hopefully the rain is over.  

It s good to hear about the rugby win.  We did get a chance to watch it this morning while we waited for the rain to clear.

So until tomorrow............................

Day 37 24 August

We have had another leisurely day in London, strolling the area around Westminster and taking photographs.  It is so good to have this time without having to meet deadlines.  We parcelled up surplus stuff and struggled with another box to the Post Office!

Tonight we went to dinner with some of Anne's friends to celebrate her belated 70th birthday.  We went to a restaurant called Simpsons in the Strand, a traditional  English Hotel in architecture, menu and service - very nice indeed.  It was a warm night and the streets were alive.

Tomorrow we plan to go to the cricket at the Oval.  Rain is forecast so that could be interesting.  Anne has arranged for a hamper and we are sitting in the open stands.  It will be another new experience.  Sunday we are on the move by bus to Lytham.

We will be taking a keen interest in the rugby.  We will be able to watch this on TV hopefully before we leave for the cricket.

Another busy weekend for you all.  Thanks for emails etc.   Will sign off as another day passes.

Day 36 23 August

Woke to a wet morning but not cold.  Time for rain jacket and to buy an umbrella.  We slept late.  So good being able to take our time and not meet any deadlines.

We walked across Westminister Bridge and found the Westminster Catholic Cathedral in time to celebrate Mass.  A beautiful Church.  Of course we had a lot to see on that walk - London Eye wheel,  Westminster Abbey, statues of famous people (Winston Churchill eg), StJames Park, Houses of Parliament, Parliament Square, the Thames River and plenty of people, queues of them waiting to visit various historic sites.  Still did not make the shops!

We have repacked our bags and yes, it is time for another parcel home.  This time it is quite heavy - the paper stuff from our travel including books etc.  We had our evening meal in the hotel and went to theatre.  Anne had booked us into "The Lady Killers".  We enjoyed it very much, very funny.  You may remember the film version.  We experienced a ride in the London cab and had lunch at a typical cafe.  We are finding the cost of food here quite expensive.

Anne is enjoying the cricket although today was interrupted by the rain so she sat around for a while.  The hotel arrangement is working out for us.  We are on the 15th floor so quite high.  It is a big hotel, very busy.

Time to sign out.  Love to all.  Great hearing news from home.

Day 35 22 August

We are now in our hotel in London after a very easy flight from Lyon.   We rose early and left l'Hermitage at 7 am.  At Heathrow we were met by our arranged car (Colleen did a good job with our travel plans) and were impressed with the drive in, a beautiful day, warm and not too much traffic.

Our hotel room is small but has all the essentials and looks very comfortable, but whether it is suitable for three is yet to be tested!  It has some interesting wall panels which I will capture, especially the one beside our bed!

Anne has been to the cricket today so we caught up about 4.30 pm.  We are now sitting watching the end of today's cricket on TV and will soon go out for a meal.  Anne is well and sends her love to all.

And so begins another phase in our journey.  We hope to rest tomorrow, have a browse around the area close to our hotel and may even browse some shops.  Love to all.

Day 34 21 August

We have enjoyed another exciting day here at l'Hermitage.  We were driven 1500 ft above sea level to Village of Le Bessat, then to La Chaperie, before visiting the Rivat Family home.  At each place we reflected on a story.  These stories have become part of our journal as we come to understand the life and influence of Marcellin Champagnat.   We drove through very steep country, trees, hamlets, small villages and small farms - very beautiful valleys, narrow roads, lots of snow in the winter.   We continue to enjoy the amazing hospitality and generosity of the community here.  

This afternoon we revisited our walk of last evening and took some photographs of the cemetery, the view from a walk above the complex, the gardens.  It is a beautiful place, a home.

It is difficult to express the impact these few days have had - a time of discovery and reflection within and around this peaceful place.  We will treasure this opportunity to walk with this amazing community and to feel the presence of the Marist spirit.  We have certainly experienced welcoming, spirituality and formation.  Tonight we celebrate Eucharist before we share a meal with groups from around the world, Brothers, families and group associates.

Tomorrow we leave here at 7 am to travel to Lyon to fly to London.  It will be good to meet up with Anne.  So it is time to pack the bag again and hope the weight has not increased!  Will be sending another parcel from London, we think.   Love to all.

Day 33 20 August

A "wow" day discovering more about the life of Marcellin Champagnat.  There are three important places to recall.  We visited the Chapel at Le Rosey and the cottage of his birth place, the Church at Marhles, and the  house where he began his work with the Brothers before he began l'Hermitage.  

We were surrounded by valleys, varied countryside which is described as being stony and not very productive although we did see some cows.  We drove for about 30 kms to 1000 ft above sea level so the view was rather awesome.  The most memorable place for us would most probably be the Chapel at Le Rosey where there were significant links to what we know and were taught.  From humble and simple beginnings has grown communities worldwide, all driven by the same purpose and direction.  The community here is really focused on three things - welcoming, spirituality, and formation.  The buildings, the grounds, the vision all capture the Marist way relevant to today's world, presence, simplicity, family spirit, love of work and achievement, strength in character.

We spent a part of the afternoon taking photographs of yesterday's experience in the house here at l'Hermitage, history expressed in contemporary fashion, a powerful expression of faith and belief in what was begun almost 200 years ago.   We hope our photographs will reflect a little of what we have felt today.

We are coping OK as the minority in this French community.  We try to read instructions etc and hope to get it right. Everyone is very thoughtful and helpful, gentle, with lots of laughter around us.  Today a group of Spanish Brothers arrive so tonight at supper will be interesting!  

So ends a day with lots to think about.  Caught up on the washing, slept late, have been driven around and have enjoyed the meals with the community.  We will be taken by car to Lyon to fly to London on Wednesday.  No more trains!  

Have no specific plans for tomorrow so look forward to resting and reflection.  Love to all.  Thanks for your emails and comments.  

Day 32 19 August - Evening

No problem with wifi so here's our entry for the rest of Day 32.  We are safely at l'Hermitage after a few  anxious moments catching trains.  We were met at the station as planned and driven to this beautiful place.  We have been made so welcome and the hospitality is really attentive and caring.  We have already been taken around the building and saw the most wonderful presentations of the life of Marcellin Champagnat.  We have visited many churches and museums over the last fortnight - nothing compares with this in its simplicity, uncluttered insights into the life of Marcellin, beautiful frescos, very clear purpose - the story of the first Brothers and their charism which has spread worldwide.  Every picture, display tells a very clear story of the Marist way centred around the life of this saint.  We hope to take photos tomorrow to capture some of the important details.

Tomorrow we walk some distance to view the area and gain further knowledge of the beginnings, growth and development of this international centre, a sacred place where the Marist spirit emanates.  People of all languages come and go.  We were fortunate to meet Brother Allan from the Philippines who speaks English fluently.  So we look forward to discovering more tomorrow.

Our accommodation is very good, not all the trimmings of the cruise but still comfortable, spacious and spotless.  We are tired tonight and ready for an early night.  Life is simple here, breakfast at 8.40, dinner in middle of the day and supper in the evening.  We were able to celebrate Mass tonight - another experience in French.  Much love from St Chamond.

Day 32 19 August

It is early morning, departure day.  We are packed and ready to go!  Not sure if wifi will be available over the next few days so our next blog may be from London.  We fly from Lyon on 21 August.

The ship is very busy this morning and preparations being made for the next cruise.  It is a very efficient operation, amazing staff.  We are sorry to be going but on the other hand looking forward to the next phase of our journey.  Will write again tonight if services are available.

Day 31 18 August

This wonderful cruise comes to close.  Tonight we had a last meal together.  Lots of goodbyes.  We spent time on deck with a Scottish couple with connections to the Talley fish industry in Nelson.  It's a really small world!

Today we walked through Arles - amphitheatre, running with the bulls down those narrow streets just as we have seen on TV, markets, a step back in time but still cars etc prevalent, historic buildings, cobbled streets etc.

We spent the afternoon sorting out our bags.  We did not go to the Olive Farm which was the afternoon option.  Just enjoyed time on the ship, warm day, doing things at our leisure.

Tomorrow we catch a train to Lyon then change trains to go to St Charmond, another phase in our trip.  This is a bit of a challenge but we think we have it all sorted provided everything runs to time.

This is a beautiful ship, great staff, top class facilities and we are very grateful to have had this opportunity to be on board.  We look forward now to our times with the Marist Brothers community before we fly on to UK.

We were delighted to find out the score for the AB game.  We did well again!  Take care everyone.  Hope the weekend sport went well.  Think of you often so until tomorrow ..........

Day 30 17 August

Tonight was the Captain's dinner.  Yes, the cruise part of our trip is rapidly coming to a close.  We are berthed in Avignon, a beautiful city, surrounded by an ancient wall, fascinating history centred around the Pope's Palace.  There were nine Popes in residence here before the papacy shifted to Rome.  We walked around the city and climbed to have an amazing view. Great fun and another learning experience for us both.

We spent this afternoon up on deck reading and enjoying the warm day.  There are many cruise ships in port so lots to see.  This is quite a tourist city so lots of people.

We are following the news about another earthquake in Seddon/Wellington area.  Hope things settle soon.

Tomorrow we leave for Arles, the last leg of our journey and time to think about packing!  For some reason we bus to Arles so there will be no more cruising time on the river, just one more night for sleeping.  We are really thinking about the train trip to Lyon and then to St Charmond.  Hope we make the connections as planned.

Thanks for emails and comments.  Always good to hear your news.  Have a great weekend.  Think of you often.  Love to all.

Day 29 16 August

It is still 15 August here in France and a public holiday as it is the Feast of the Assumption.  We are in Viviers, a small town steeped in history and preserved.  We walked the very narrow cobbled streets, visited the St Vincent Cathedral and climbed to have aperitifs at an original family home which was once a seminary for Cistercian Priests.  We were the guests of a French family.  The courtyard and garden were beautiful.  Just cannot describe it really - unreal in today's living in NZ.  

In the afternoon we sailed to Avignon.  We passed through many locks, one of which was 75 feet, quite a drop and an amazing experience to navigate through.  The afternoon for us was one of rest, reading and catching up on some emails.  We did not visit the truffle farm and Chateuneuf du Papes, but elected to have a quiet time on the boat.

It is a beautiful evening, so warm and mild.  We walked after dinner for a very short stroll. Tomorrow we  take a walking tour around Avignon.  I did not realise that this was the home of the Pope before the Vatican.  There is so much to learn wherever we go.

The wine continues to flow, meals are plentiful, the ship is very comfortable.  We are beginning to think about disembarkment, the trip to l'Hermitage the next challenge with train connections etc.  Our ship is moored alongside a very busy road, the first city intrusion in many days!  Will close the sliding door and put on the air conditioning and close down for the day.  Always good to hear from you.  Until tomorrow, love from us both from southern France.

Day 28 15 August

 We have been away a month now and it has been another great day.  We walked through the towns of     Tournon and Tain-l'Hermitage.  These were true French towns, cobbled narrow streets, many little shops tucked away in places you would not expect.  Such a lovely relaxed morning which ended with wine tasting at a vineyard, although we only saw the shop front of it. Nothing like the vineyard experiences we have had in Central and Marlborough, but good.  We tasted a Chardonnay and 3 reds, the predominant grape variety Syrah.  It was just before lunch so concentration and discernment may have been distracted.  It has been another warm balmy day, a little windy, but ideal for walking at a leisurely pace.

After lunch the ship set off for Viviers.  We gave the cooking demonstration a miss and sat up on deck to enjoy the views around us.  We passed through two more locks - we are fascinated each time.  We are now back in our cabin enjoying a wine with our sliding door open.  We may try to attach  photo this time.

Simon will now take over and make a few comments.  Love to all.  Faye.

Hi all today has been an enjoyable and learning day.

I do love this France country. The rural nature of this river cruising has been a winner for me. Today is an example. We have had 4 Hours of crusing through rural land. This country from a rural perspective surprises me.

It seems to me it is in the development phase for agriculture. Production on the growth, Government incentive, positive results from projects of land development and leadership on farm are encouraging the Government.

There is a focus on improving the the utilisation of water and the access of river water to the land. A major change in thinking of the Government.

All these strategy moves are something to follow.

We loving this time here. At the same time miss you very, very much. Keep up the contact.

Nana and Pop, Faye and Simon, Mum and Dad.

Signing off.

Day 27 14 August

I am am not happy!  I wrote the blog and hit a wrong button and have lost the lot!  So this will be an abbreviated version as it is quite late.  We are presently going through a lock.  We are in our cabin with the sliding door open.  The ship has descended between two concrete walls as the water is pumped out.  It is quite dark and eerie as we pass though.  What amazing engineering feat!

Today we took a panoramic tour by bus around Lyon.  We visited the old part of the city, even went into passageways used as escape routes many centuries ago.  We climbed a very steep hill to Fourviere to the Basilica and Chapel.  This is the place where the Marist Fathers, Brothers and Sisters made their commitment to form the Society of Mary and dedicate their lives to spreading Christianity across the world.  We found it a very beautiful place but once again for us the significance was not emphasised other than its architecture, its position and a place to view Lyon.  No doubt we will get a greater sense of its meaning once we visit l'Hermitage.  We took photos but I doubt they will capture the real beauty and size of the area.  It can be viewed from many parts of Lyon, an amazing must see for all who visit.

The silk industry is quite strong here in Lyon, so we were treated to a demonstration of how scarves a designed, printed and made.  Believe it or not. I did not purchase despite the many lovely designs and colours.

We walked to find an ATM this afternoon, found one and it worked!  We continue to meet interesting people and are enjoying ship life, often comparing the two ships.  The days continue to be warm.  We are kept very busy and love those down times when we can just enjoy the smooth cruise, our time together with no rush. Precious times! 

Must away to bed now.  Will keep you posted as we journey on.  Much love to all.  We do enjoy those responses and emails.  Good to know what is going on for you back home.  Many thanks.

Day 26 13 August

We write this from our hotel room on the ship.  We have just got back from a walking tour to explore the vineyards of Burgundy, the Hotel-Dieu (once a hospital dating back to 1441) at Beaune, and visit an abbey at Tournus.  Another great day, very warm, good guide.  All so interesting.

The countryside reflects vineyard after vineyard, small villages with similar house construction, narrow streets, and lovely flowers on window ledges, balconies etc.  Not a lot of space between houses, very typical of the pictures we see.  The wine industry is regulated and we were given some valuable insights into the growing of the grapes through to harvest.  Since beginning the tour we have French wine with our meals, a different  variety and label each evening.  I still like my NZ varieties!

We are now back in our stateroom, sliding door open and a view of the river as we return to Lyon.  

Tonight we attend the Captain's Dinner so we dress for the occasion.  We left our American friends at the close of the River Baroness cruise so are now faced with finding new company - not easy if groups are already together.  There are two other couples from NZ, Australians, South African but predominantly American, a range of maturity across us all!

Tomorrow it looks like we take a scenic tour of Lyon in the morning and an afternoon of leisure.

Good to have your comments.  We are really coping well and realise that there are not many days left on the river.

Love to all.

Day 25 12 August

Today we left Paris and travelled by bullet train to Lyon.  We embarked on the ship River Royale.  Our room is a little bigger than that of the previous ship with every convenience provided - rather lovely!  The train trip was just on 2 hours, very fast and smooth.  Once again we were in awe over the railway stations both at Paris and at Lyon.  We keep thinking about that trip we have to take at the end of the cruise and we have to come back to Lyon and change trains!

We are with a new group of people so it's the challenge of mixing and meeting new people.  She boat sailed at 6 pm tonight and we are now on our way to berth at Chalon-sur-saone.  We are going a guided walking tour tomorrow, captains dinner in the evening.

Not much to share today.  All continues to go well.  Have yet to find an ATM to test our card!  This boat is bigger, so more people on board.  We have a door which opens on to a narrow balcony and a good view over the river.  Took a photo before so hope the reflection is visible - an amazing sight.

Much love from the travellers.

day 24 11 Auguist

This morning we viewed Paris from the top of Monmartre.  We were taken up this very steep hill by motorised train and once again heard about Renoir, van Gogh and Picasso. It was an artists haven.  All good.  We visited the Cathedral of Sacre Coeur, just beautiful.  Of course we joined crowds of people out for Saturday strolls along with the tourists.  

This afternoon we enjoyed a spot of resting up on deck and then began to pack our bags for tomorrow when we travel by bullet train to Lyon to join a new ship River Royale.  We were not aware that we were actually on two cruises so a number of people go home tomorrow.

We experienced our first hiccup with the ATM today and were declined!   Not a good experience.  We rang NZ only to find out that everything ANZ was down.  We had to phone again later and now hope we have everything sorted. Will try again tomorrow.

We have been very impressed with Paris.  Never did any shopping.  Just enjoyed the history and being here.  Our great weather continues, not too hot now and no further rain.

Great to hear from you have a moment.  Hope your weekend is restful and all is well with you all. 

Day 23 Evening comment

As we write this we have retired to our stateroom (cabin) and have the sliding door open as we enter Paris. It is really beautiful.  Simon has been  on deck and taken a photo of the Eiffel Tower which is lit up at 11 pm each evening. The river is very busy, quite a change from the past few days we travelled into Normandy.

This evening we have been briefed on the transfer to the train on Sunday and our embarkation of River Royale at Lyon.  Our luggage is transported for us so we just pack and organise our hand luggage.  All good.

Tomorrow morning we will visit Monmatre and spend some time in Paris looking at some shops.  We have made friends with two American couples who are not picking up the second stage of the tour.   We will miss them.

So everyone it's time to sign off.  Love to all.

Day 23 9 August

What a morning!  Ŵe visited the gardens and the House of Claude Monet, famous impressionist artist, at Giverny.  It was warm and sunny and the sun and light were just right to see the garden at its best.  The lily pond was just as you see it in the paintings, the flowers were in full bloom and of course colour was spectacular.  Inside the house, we were able to get a feeling for the way he lived.  We heard the story of his life and the paintings, although not the originals, became very familiar.

This afternoon we are on the ship sailing towards Paris.  We are up on deck on sun loungers, quietly cruising and resting.  Bit of a dream really!  We pass through villages, sometimes just tree lined banks, but all so quiet and smooth.  Will try for a photo.  My book is good and Simon is enjoying reading daily from "France" the book you gave to us Katherine.  Will write again tonight.

Day 22 8 August

Today we took a long bus trip to the coast of Normandy to see the White Cliff village of Etretat.  We climbed up a series of steep steps to a church and the most amazing view.  It was a beautiful morning, the sea and beach reminded us of some beaches at home and the view was rather spectacular.  We got back on the bus and drove to a cider farm where we heard about how apples are converted Ito cider and its stronger alcoholic derivatives.  We sampled these and enjoyed a salad lunch with interesting cheeses, Camembert being the most familiar to us.  The Normandy cows produce milk for this cheese.  We really enjoyed this morning -  picturesque, expansive cropping, few cows, flax crops.  We then visited the historic town of Honfleur built around a marina.  The buildings dated back to early 19 century, once again the church being central to it all, almost museum pieces now.

Back at the ship we enjoyed another beautiful meal as we set sail for Vernon.  As I write this, I am sitting up on the bed looking out our big sliding door over the river, so peaceful with just the wake of the ship disturbing the smooth waters.

Tomorrow we visit Monet's home and Gardens.  Looking forward to that.  Each day continues to bring something new.  We head for Paris tomorrow and arrive there about midnight.

We are well.  Thanks for keeping in touch.  Words cannot describe the many varying scenes of this part of the world, villages, interesting houses, expansive fields, evidence of history, people of many races etc.  It's quite a learning curve for us.  Must away to bed.  Love to all.

Day 21 7 August

A wet day!  It rained heavily. Temperatures dropped but we still continued with our programme.  We took a tour of Rouen but as it was raining we spent most of the time in the Cathedral of Notre Dame, looked at architecture and of course revisited much of the History of Normandy.  We listened to the story of Joan of Arc and walked to the site where she was burned at the stake and spent time in the most beautiful church dedicated to her, a modern building with many relevant symbols and artifacts.

It would have been a great place to shop but not in the rain so we returned to the ship, enjoyed a great lunch and rested for the afternoon.  Simon took a bike ride along the river.

Late afternoon we attended a signature lecture - A Journey through Impressionism, an insight into impressionist art with emphasis on Monet.  Very interesting.

The standard of care, food and facility on the ship remains very high.  Each day we are briefed for the coming day, sometimes we select. Other times we go with what has Ben organised.  It is so good.  Tonight we were entertained with singing and music from the 50s.

Tomorrow is another big day with a tour to Etretat White cliff village, a visit to a traditional Cider farm followed by a visit to Honfleur. We are now docked at a place called Caudebec-en-Caux.  All very peaceful and quiet, river so smooth.  Off to bed now.  Love to all.

Day 20 6 August

A long day today!  We set off at 8 am and returned 6.30 pm.  We spent the day exploring Normandy, the landing sites on the beaches and the cemetery.  We spent time at Gold Beach (Britain) and Omaha Beach (America). We are now familiar with the stories of the landings.

We chose to visit Bayeux Tapestry.  This was a very interesting piece of work, 70 metres long, worked on canvas in wool telling the story of the Battle of Hastings in 1066, the time of William the Conqueror.

Absolutely fascinating!

Simon is now picking up the blog............today was a highlight for us. We had the opportunity to visit and spent the afternoon of a beautiful sunny day learning and viewing the 4 landing beaches of The battle of Normandy.  D Day landing on the beaches on the 6th June 1944, became a reality for us today. The beaches are beautiful and today were well used by many families enjoying a holiday  day in sunshine and the sea. It was a warming and happy sight.

The many memory items of writing in stone, war used machinery, memorial structure and finally the cemetery visit shifted our thoughts and emotions!  We walked with hundreds of others among the 4000 upright white crosses reading names. Reflecting of the part these young men and women from the USA had played in this battle. Most of all one could think who they left behind.

The two American Air Force high powered Jet Fighters flying overhead made the day real.

A wonderful experience for us.

Must sign off now.

Mum and Dad, Nana and Pop.

Day 19 5 August

Simon up early this morning and had the opportunity to watch the captain skilfully navigate the boat through a lock.  It was a beautiful morning, fog gradually lifting, sun beginning to rise.  It was so peaceful and calm except for the evidence of 6 vapour trails in the sky.  He spent some time with the captain as he described what was happening as the water went out and came in.  We went through 4 locks during the day.

We joined a walking party and with a guide climbed to the castle ruins of Richard the lionheart, Chateau Gaillard.  We heard many stories of the history of those times, the interactions of the English and the French and of course the cruel tactics practised.  We are docked at Les Andelys, a little village on the River Seine.  The Seine flows through the city of Rouen. We docked there at 5 this afternoon. We are here for two days.  Tomorrow we bus to Normandy to explore D-Day.  We will look at the beaches, the cemeteries and evidence of war.  We have elected to go those the Bayieux Tapestries so hope we enjoy this as we had to choose between that and the Museum.

This afternoon we rested on deck and enjoyed the scenery as we passed through interesting countryside.  What a life!

Tonight we had the Captain's dinner and enjoyed a concert, highly skilled young Russian and Roumanian musicians.  They play both classical and modern music.  Very impressive.  So it's to bed  now as we have an early start in the  morning.  We are well and coping with this new experience.  We have met some nice people too.  Will be in touch after our very full day tomorrow.  Love to all.

Day 18

Today is Sunday 4 August.  We packed up and moved out of the hotel to board the River Baroness.  It was a warm day and our welcome to the ship was equally as warm and welcoming.  We have been surrounded by so much hospitality and the process of checking in, unpacking in our little cabin and meeting people just happened.

This is a floating hotel.  It offers opportunities to meet people, spaces to go, great facilities, amazing food.  The cabins are small but everything fits.  We unpacked and were delighted to put our cases under the bed out of the way.  It is all service with a smile.  Everything is so clean, room serviced twice a day, our needs really met.

There are opportunities for bike riding, gym, massage, walks off the ship, drinks galore and gracious service at all times. We are very impressed.

We joined the group for dinner to find it was a four course menu and when you completed it you realised it was not too much, just very tasteful.

Before we went to bed we sat up on top deck on loungers and just watched the river go by.  It was great to leave the city behind and move out through rural areas etc.  Our first experience through the locks was very interesting.

 We look forward to our first activity off the boat - a walk to the village and a climb to an old, old castle dating back to the time of King Richard, the Lion Heart.

So all is well.  Think of you often and enjoy hearing from you.  Love to all.

Day 17 3 August

Late with this entry as we are having trouble with Internet access.  Let's hope this goes on ok.  We are pleased with rugby result.  Just need to hear more detail of the game.

We were rudely awakened by a false fire alarm so evacuated rooms at 5.45 am.  Of course did not get back to sleep.  I must now have a little escape kit prepared!

After breakfast we took a walking tour to the Opera House.  This was so interesting, an insight into how the aristocrats lived.  Paris is just full of life, the buildings are amazing and the shops look great!  I am purposely keeping away - luggage and money to be considered!

Our first horrible food experience at lunch - just could not eat it.  In the afternoon, we got another box away to NZ (to you Brendon) and we just rested.  My kindle is amazing, easy to read and carry.

We dined out on a boat cruise on the Seine.  It was a beautiful night, so warm and still.  Good food, got to know a small group of the cruise - South Africa, American, Australia, and experienced some night life of Paris on a Saturday night.  People just lined the banks of the river, sitting and watching the boats go by.  

Have been told to have our bags out by 9 am tomorrow so need to get our heads around that now.  Do have a good week everyone.  Our next contact will be from the boat.  As everyone comments "From New Zealand! So far away!". How true.  Love to all.

Day 16 2 August

Up early this morning, good breakfast, packed up and went in search of a place to fix my glasses.  Would you believe that there was one next door to the hotel so problem was solved in 10 minutes.

Took a taxi to the airport - lovely drive but some near misses on the way!  We were challenged at the airport by the weight of our bags so had to reorganise on the spot.  Needless to say there is another box to go in the post tomorrow!  There were long queues going through customs.  A bit of anxiety here as we watched operations ahead, but we survived that one ok.  Just as well there was no BP machine to check on us.

We had an uneventful flight, were met as arranged and had a very pleasant drive into central Paris.  The temp was 34 degrees.  The hotel is just superb - the Marriott Ambassador.  Wow!  Our room is spacious, huge bed, all conveniences, even a separate loo.  We were greeted by the tour organisers, taken for a walk around the environs and attended a meeting at 7 pm.  Tomorrow promises to be a big day.  We have chosen to take the walk to the opera house etc.  In the evening we will dine on the River Seine so that will be an experience.  We join the River Cruise on Sunday.  

Each day brings something new, but it is always good to hear from home. It is 9.15 pm here, 7.15 am Saturday in NZ.  Do email the rugby results as soon as they are available.  Paris is some city so we look forward to seeing some of it tomorrow.

Until then, the travellers retire in luxury!

Day 15 August 1

Not a lot to report today.  We slept late, enjoyed a good breakfast, tidied up and perused the shops for a few hours. 

We have packed our bags for tomorrow and have sent a box of surplus stuff home to Brendon. They told us it would take about two months.  Hope it gets there ok.

Tomorrow we leave to fly to Paris but before we do I need to find an optician as the lens from my glasses has come out.  Meanwhile I am managing with the pair I bought from The Store over Christmas!  You are too far away this time Mark to do the repair!

So good to read the blog comments.  We really have enjoyed Prague and this lovely hotel. Here's hoping Paris and our boat trip are all we anticipate.