Last Really Big Trip of 2022

We actually got home from this trip in mid-October. But then we had some more guests and I needed some quality sitting around time. So, here is the long-overdue recap of our trip to France and Belgium.

The main part of this trip was a river cruise on the Seine, but we arrived a few days early to enjoy Paris and then extended our trip to include Brussels and Bruges. We were fortunate to have travel companions for this trip: Cindy Freeman (a former neighbor in VA and now an expat living in Kenmare, Ireland) and Susan & John Crumpton (friends for NC and part of the world famous UNC football tailgate crew).

Our hotel was on the Left Bank. It turned out that we were there for fashion week, so things were especially lively. What a difference a year makes! Last fall, it was just starting to get back to normal. But this year, it was bustling, busy, and crowded with tourists. Our first full day, we spent at the Musee d'Orsay visiting the phenomenal collection of impressionists. It was especially interesting because our itinerary included visits to Rouen (cathedral painted by Monet), Auvers-sur-Oise (last home of Vincent Van Gogh), and Giverny (Monet's home and gardens).

The next day, we went to the Rodin Museum. This museum is located in the Hotel Biron which Rodin used as his workshop and includes an extensive sculpture garden. We knew very little about Rodin before our visit and were so impressed with how prolific he was and how beautiful his work was. He also had a nice collection of Van Gogh, Monet, and Renoir which was also on display.

After our visit we had a lovely lunch of charcuterie at a sidewalk cafe and returned to our hotel (see photo of staircase).

We boarded our ship, the Monarch Countess, in the early afternoon the next day and spent some time relaxing and visiting before dinner. After dinner, the captain moved the ship so we could enjoy beautiful views of the Eiffel Tour and the miniature Statue of Liberty.

Our first stop was Auvers-sur-Oise which is probably best known for being the town where Vincent Van Gogh spent his last days. After reading some many biographies of Vincent and adoring the 2017 animated film "Loving Vincent," it was fascinating to see the actual locations. The day was a bit overcast so we couldn't see the light that he found so inspirational.

We had a brief stop in Les Andelys to see the Chateau Gaillard, built by Richard the Lionheart and to stroll around the charming town to shop. It was great to be parked right in town.

Next stop: Rouen, home to the famous cathedral painted so many times by Claude Monet. We also learned all about Joan of Arc. In fact, we had a rest room stop very close to where she died.

That afternoon we had an excursion to the charming town of Honfleur, with its old harbor, colorful boats, and half timbered buildings that are characteristic of the area.

After a quiet day on the ship for me and Will off on an excursion to Normandy, we moved on to Giverny, the home of Claude Monet. Even in October, the gardens were spectacular. It is so interesting to meander around the pond with the bridges and water lilies that Monet captured beautifully. It was hard to stop taking pictures because every turn offered yet another amazing garden. It was very crowded there....so many (other) tourists.

After cruising back to Paris, enjoying the scenery along the Seine, we left the ship and took the train to Brussels. We were welcomed at the train station by piano music being played by another traveler on a piano provided for that purpose. Our hotel was very close to the magnificent Grand Place. For the two days we were there, a series of graduations were being held in the square. We learned that they were graduations from the university for the past two years that had delayed due to the pandemic. From a hop on hop off bus, we went by the Atomium that was built for a world's fair. While there, we sampled the mussels (moules frites) and waffles. We also visited the Magritte Museum, which I particularly enjoyed. Will bought some Magritte socks and is, in fact, wearing them as I write this blog.

From Brussels, we took the train to Bruges. We saved the best for last. Over the years, we have had so many friends rave about Bruges and they were all right. We loved it. We stayed at a cool boutique hotel near the market square that had a beautiful courtyard and some very interesting artwork on display.

We took boat ride around the city and enjoyed meandering around the city. The windows were filled with lovely chocolates and macarons. We went to an interesting exhibit of Dali's early works.

Our last night, Will and I had dinner at a lovely, cozy restaurant -- steak tartare for me, scallops for Will.

The next day, we took the train from Bruges to the Brussels airport for our flight home. After about two weeks away, we were happy to be home in Cascais.