Ah, Paris, incredible traffic, intolerable crowds, high prices, and people who rush for no one. We spent the last two days in Paris on our own, so we got a real feel for this incredible city. You Americans who are used to a certain pace of life, well, that is not going to happen in Europe. It is SLOW here, and that is the way it will be. The locals will not change their pace for you. Period. If you are in a rush, you need to take a step back and relax. Trying to push them will only result in frustration for all. First thing we learned was the subway system. If you plan to spend anytime on your own before or after a tour, you must master the public transportation: bus, subway, and trams. ... read more

Today we bid a fond adieu to the Viking IDI and its wonderful crew. This morning at 7 AM we had to have our luggage outside our staterooms ready to be loaded onto the bus for our long day of travel to Paris. It was with mixed emotions enjoyed our final breakfast in the main dining room and said goodbye to Gianny, Yanni, and Belle. They were a pleasure to be with and a delightful addition to the voyage. One very important thing you need to do when preparing to leave the ship. Check, double check, and check one more time that you have everything you came with. There is no turning back. If you left something in the cabin, it is gone! Another important departure procedure is to pack a day bag for the bus ... read more

Our tour this morning began at 9:30 am when we would be taking a walking tour of Bernkastle, an area known for wine. The city is beautiful and boasts a population of 7,000 with 2 plus million tourists visiting annually! We visited the old city, walked through the market area, and ended at the local winery and vinyard where they have a wine cellar that features over 150 varieties of local wines. When we entered the wine cellar, they gave us a glass of Dr. Pauly wine. The story goes that the Bishop once got very sick and the local doctors could not help him. He offered a reward to anyone who could save him. A wine merchant came forth with a large barrel of wine and handed the ill Bishop a glass. Now the Bishop ... read more

Today we docked well after 7 AM so we got to sleep in a bit, just like a vacation. We are in the city of Mainz on the Main (pronounced more like Mine) River. Our plan today was a walking tour of the historic city, lunch on shore, and shopping in this most wonderful city. Mainz is a very old city that was bombed heavily in WW2 by the Allies. Much of the center city and surrounding area was blown up. What we see today is a reconstruction of the original city, recreated to its former glory as well as the reconstruction funds would allow. There was one section spared from damage; that is the area around the Cathedral. This massive medieval church holds the bones of St. Bonafice and was built as the location for ... read more

Another beautiful restful night, perhaps becaue we are exhausted, perhaps the very gentle movement rocks you like a baby. Either way I seem to get up earlier than an alarm, ready for another day. We are at the halfway point in our journey. One disappointment came before dinner yesterday. Our Caberet Night with Dinner in Paris was cancelled. They did not tell us why, only that it was cancelled. So I booked us on an all day trip to Versaille to to see the setting of one of my favorite Netflix series, Mary, Queen of Scotts..........so that should be fun. Dan, one of our fellow travelers, gave us some excellent travel advice that I wanted to share with all. Travel today is more hectic than ever. Even with all the modern technology we have, baggage handling ... read more