Completing our 78 Day Cruise

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Bordeaux is a wine connoisseur’s dream with chateaus and wine cellars (plus sellers) surrounding the city famous for its red wine. Arriving via the Garonne River in southwestern France's Gironde department (state), we discover low lying farm lands, not surprisingly occupied mostly by vineyards, lining both banks. The city slowly appears which with its 1,105,000 inhabitants, constituting the sixth largest urban area in the country. Home of the industry's main wine fair, Vinexpo, the wine economy in the metro area moves 14.5 billion euros each year. Bordeaux wine has been produced in the region since the 8^thcentury and currently produces 960 million bottles from 13,000 grape growers on 287,000 acres of vineyards. From table wine to premier cru (read “expensive”) the product is carefully marketed in true French bureaucratic style to the extent that the number of growers has decreased recently to equalize the wine glut.

<a name="_GoBack"></a>Our first excursion is a bus tour of the city and its picturesque architecture with a visit to the grand cru Chateau Bouscaut housed in a remodeled 18th century castle. After seeing the processing areas we enjoy the expected tasting with all the explanations expected with a French accent. The following day we visit the historic walled town of St Emilion which depended on the fortifications to defend against roving pirates. Narrow streets, quaint shops and friendly natives help us understand the wine economy which has existed here for centuries. Their fully automated stand alone rest room was a welcome anomaly. Our ship ties up at the waterfront in the heart of the city which allows us to visit the boat show in progress along the pier and to walk the city streets in awe, including a look at the Napoleonic era bridge. Our second day of returning from the excursion the ship's crew stages a “welcome back” with champagne, the band and twin columns of welcomers including the ship's officers. A great treat. We're reminded constantly of the smallness of the motor vehicles and the price of fuel ($7 a gallon).

Sailing away down the river we round the corner of France to arrive in Honfleur, France, and our access to Paris, or where we went, the D Day beaches of Normandy. For veterans this is a must see and the impact is amazing. Our guide spent the 1 ½ hour bus ride briefing us on the statistics and facts of this major WWII event. In Arromanches we visited the D-Day Museum, enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant and then proceeded to Omaha beach to see the American Cemetery and the beach that claimed so many lives. At the cemetery another vet and I got to assist in folding the flag which had just been lowered at the end of the day while Mary photographed the event and then Mary and I were photographed with the flags. A very moving experience. Returning to the ship we sailed for our final port, South Hampton, arriving in the early morning with bags packed. Our final excursion was a visit to Stonehenge on the way to Heathrow Airport before boarding our United Airliner for the USA. We thank the 0fficers and crew of Regent Seven Seas Voyager for a wonderful 78 days of 6 star service and can't wait to return to the ship next summer for another Regent Experience.

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