Life is a patchwork of experiences
This was an epic year of travel for me – the best ever. I was very fortunate to be able to go somewhere special each month.
I visited National Parks in the US as well as a few new places in my home country. I had a completely unique experience as a volunteer citizen scientist in Kenya. And my feet touched the soil of South America for the first time. To top it all off, I was totally spoiled on a one of a kind barge cruise on the Burgundy Canal in France. I don’t think any year in travel can get much better.
Continue reading “Reflections from 2019 – An Epic Year of Travel”
This kaleidoscope quilt was the beginning of my quilting passion. It was the very first quilt I ever made about twenty years ago. (NO-I don’t believe in starting easy). Continue reading “Kaleidoscope Quilt Design”
One of my favorite activities during the European Waterways Burgundy Canal cruise was the being able to bike on the towpath alongside the canal. The barge cruises very slowly, so keeping up was never an issue. The path was quite level and since the canal passes through woods and farmland, the bike ride was quiet and very peaceful. It was a relaxing way to burn of some calories before the next five star meal that our chef prepared for us.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
Another wonderful excursion on my European Waterways canal cruise was to the Chateau d’Ancy-le-Franc, one of the best preserved French Renaissance buildings. Continue reading “PhotoPOSTcard: …..and Ivory”
I’ve tasted sparkling wines, but never true champagne from France. One of the special excursions on my European Waterways barge cruise on the Burgundy canal was a private and fascinating behind the scenes tour for our group of the Alexandre Bonnet champagne production process. Afterwards, we were treated to a tasting of four of their vintages which provided a delectable introduction to this bubbly version of Bacchus’ elixir, a taste I could definitely get used to.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
One of the most unique aspects of our tour of the Chateau de Commarin were the original heraldic tapestries made for the castle in the early 1500’s. The tapestries depict family armorial designs alternating with alchemical symbols. As a precursor to chemistry, I was particularly fascinated by the alchemy references. Sadly (for us), some of the tapestries were trimmed down to fit the existing space, so some of the panels were no longer complete. However, despite the centuries, the colors were still vivid and all the detail quite impressive. The tour of the Chateau de Commarin was the first excursion on my European Waterways barge cruise on the Burgundy canal.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
My first day’s excursion on the La Belle Epoque Burgundy Canal cruise was to the Chateau de Commarin where our group had a private falconry demonstration. The climax of the demonstration was this beautiful eagle- owl, who with its 6 foot wingspan is one of the largest owls in the world.
Thanks for Visiting
Rose
One of the excursions on my European Waterways Burgundy Canal cruise was to the UNESCO listed Abbey de Fontenay. The abbey was founded in 1118 by a group of Cistercian monks. On our tour, I leaned that the Cistercian order was established in response to the excesses displayed by the Benedictine monks. The Cistercian’s believed in hard work in a simple, austere environment and they built this large abbey to insure that they would be self-sufficient. Much of the original abbey architecture remains to this day, including the cloisters seen in this photo.
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
The canals of France were built in the late 1700’s to provide a means of transporting goods. Barges were loaded with timber, limestone, wine and other desirable products and they were pulled along the canals through the many locks that controlled the flow of water. Today, the canals still support boat traffic, but these historic barges have now been converted into luxury floating cruise experiences that offer a unique means of exploring the French countryside. For the next six days, I will be enjoying a one of a kind cruise on the La Belle Epoque along the Burgundy Canal, one of the many barge cruising options offered by European Waterways.
Thanks for visiting
Rose
After 1000 years of history, Our Lady of Notre Dame de Paris still stands strong. She is a little rougher around the edges, but her soul still shines through. The spire and the roof are gone but the site looks remarkably clean. For the time being, you can only admire her from afar. Unlike my previous visits, there was no revelry as people stood to watch and take photos. There was a quiet worshipful reverence as tourists continued to admire this historic Paris icon.
Thanks for visiting
Rose
