Land & Sea - LIVE (nearly) from Amsterdam and ms Rotterdam 15 day Atlantic Sojourn - October 7th, 2023

[SusieKIslandGirl]

@0106What tour did you take to see all the wonderful sites in your photos? That is one area of Europe we haven't seen and is on our "do it soon" list. Thanks for reporting and the photos.

[0106]

@ottahand7 @SusieKIslandGirl Thank you for your kind words.
I highly recommend Overlord Tours 9B.   We left at 8 and returned at 6 in an 8 passenger van.  Our guide was extremely knowledgeable.  Here is part of the tour description from their website.  

It allows you to see in one day a mixture of history based around D-Day and also the culture of Normandy. Tour includes a visit to famous Omaha Beach and the American cemetery. You will benefit from our extensive knowledge of the History of World War II and the Landing. We will then drive to Bayeux where you can have lunch after which the choice is yours; walk around the city, visit the Cathedral and see the Tapestry Museum. The Medieval city of Bayeux is one of the only towns to survive the bombings and keeps all its old splendor and authenticity. Its old houses and cathedral will enchant you. On the way back we stop a moment in Honfleur one of the pearls of Lower Normandy. 

 

[kazu]

Here is yesterday’s daily program:

 

 

 

[kazu]

It was Gala Night (aka Dressy night).

 

So we got the standard towel animal

 

 

 

And our chocolates

 

 

Definitely different from the chocolates I’ve seen in the past.

 

 

 

[kazu]

Back to Bruges for a nano second (warned you on catch up 😉 )

 

Their canals have 150 swans.  We were warned not to touch, keep hands in, etc.  Swans can be vicious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These 3 swans are teenagers.  They are special as they are the only 3 that survived from birth this sprig.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kazu]

Today we are in LeHavre, the 3rd largest port in Europe.  (first is Rotterdam, 2nd Zeebrugge.)

 

LeHavre was virtually destroyed in the Second World War and completely rebuilt.  Rouen on the other hand was not as badly destroyed and dates back 100’s of years.

 

So, we are heading off on a private tour with Igor for historic Rouen & picturesque Honfleur.

 

HonFleur was the port for Normandy until the 1500’s when Le Havre was built in preparation for the voyage by Jacques Cartier to discover Canada.

 

 

Rouen was home to the Vikings - the first Duke of Normandy was Rolo, a Viking. Normandy’s name comes from the Norsemen who pillaged and eventually ruled here.  William the Conqueror made his home in Rouen until he conquered and moved to England.

 

 

 

Pics are of Norte Dame Cathedral in Rouen.  Sadly it was very misty that day.

Cathedral spire dates back to 1800 - highest spire in France.

 

Construction began in 1100.  It takes time to build a cathedral like this and the work went on for ages.

 

 

Sadly, all the original stained glass windows were blown out during the war and the bombings.

 

 

Some of the sculptures were destroyed.  Some people are missing their heads and some are completely gone.  You can see the effects of the bombing in the stone.  It has to be restored regularly as it is so light it easily peels away.

 

 

 

 

On our walk heading for a brief patisserie break.

 

 

[kazu]

Igor took us to a very famous patisserie.

 

 

A great spot to have a stop and a bathroom break.  

 

The aroma inside was enough to make you hungry 😉 

 

 

You HAVE to have their famous cream with your cake and tea.  People of Normandy have it with everything.  It is delicious and as you can see - very thick - not like our cream at all.  

 

 

 

[ski ww]

Cake & coffee a nice way to spend some time well sight seeing. Brings back memories of travelling in Europe.

[kazu]

The entrance for the caskets at the Cathedral.  

 

 

There are 2 cathedrals literally side by side.  Rouen was a very wealthy city and could easily afford 2.

 

 

 

Typical homes in Rouen in the old city centre.  They are all learning or have leaning parts.

 

 

 

The plague decimated 70% of Europe.  One of the places the dying and dead were taken.  You can see the bone design above warning announcing the purpose of the place.

 

 

Bodies were destroyed and the bones were pounded to use as fertilizer.

 

 

 

 

 

[kazu]

the grass is very rich here resulting in very rich milk production by the cows and wonderful cheeses like Camembert.  The difference between the cheese we can get at home and here is incredible.  To quote Igor the Presidents’ Camembert at home is like plastic compared to the cheese here.

 

Camembert cheese originates here from the little village of Camembert.  Like the real Camembert cheese, and other DPO cheeses, the milk must come from the Normandy cows which only eat the grass.  the milk from cows that eat the silage (usually corn stored for the winter) is not purchased by the cheese makers.  Camembert cheese has very strict rules on it’s production.

 

when we made our light lunch I had to have some of their cheese

 

 

@VMax1700 there were no crackers 😉 

 

& escargot, of course.  (I wasn’t alone on the escargot.

 

 

These are the 4 types of cheese I enjoyed.

 

 

[1of4]

I thought these pictures taken of the cathedral in Rouen from our river cruise in 2019 may help since you had a misty day. We spent 2 days there before moving to Honfleur and spending another 2 days. The second tower is called the butter tower and was completed centuries after the first…by taxing butter. The inside is amazing and some windows did survive. 

[kazu]

10 minutes ago, 1of4 said:

I thought these pictures taken of the cathedral in Rouen from our river cruise in 2019 may help since you had a misty day. We spent 2 days there before moving to Honfleur and spending another 2 days. The second tower is called the butter tower and was completed centuries after the first…by taxing butter. The inside is amazing and some windows did survive. 

 

Thanks Gail,

 

I was lucky enough to have been before although it was quite a while.  

 

Unfortunately both the cathedrals were closed due to the construction/renovations being done.  I was glad I was fortunate to get inside the first time.  It was still a good day.

 

The last pic I posted is where I left a few of Jose’s ashes.

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

there were no crackers

Sad, however I am even more disturbed by a French menu saying that beef could come from the UK.  Perhaps they are old (pre brexit) menus.

[whogo]

"Please be advised that bringing your passport ashore is required for non-European guests." I was surprised to see that notice on your Le Havre daily program.

 

Great thread, kazu.

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, whogo said:

"Please be advised that bringing your passport ashore is required for non-European guests." I was surprised to see that notice on your Le Havre daily program.

 

Great thread, kazu.

It does seem to be up to individual countries even within the EU.

Last cruise and Germany, Sweden, and Estonia  required passports for non EU residents, whereas, Denmark, Finland and Latvia did not.  All 6 countries are in EU.

[pmjnh]

7 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

It does seem to be up to individual countries even within the EU.

Last cruise and Germany, Sweden, and Estonia  required passports for non EU residents, whereas, Denmark, Finland and Latvia did not.  All 6 countries are in EU.

And I believe next year we may need visas for EU countries.

 

thanks for taking us along on your journey! Looking forward to this voyage in 2024! 
 

Edited October 10, 2023 by pmjnh

[SUESEABE]

@pmjnh

https://www.boundless.com/blog/u-s-citizens-visa-travel-to-europe-2024/

[1of4]

2 hours ago, pmjnh said:

And I believe next year we may need visas for EU countries.

 

thanks for taking us along on your journey! Looking forward to this voyage in 2024! 
 

Yes, beginning January 1, 2024 US, Canada, Australia plus many other non European citizens will require an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETIAS) to enter most European countries. 

[0106]

This morning we needed to present our passport to British immigration. To say the least, the process was unorganized.  Late in gratin arrival…people lined up before 7:30 on deck 2 to enter the World stage….ship not cleared on time…LONG lines…tours assembling in BB Kings…gridlock.  
 

Using our HIA credits, first we went to Abbottsbury Gardens

 

 

 Beautiful view from  the hill

 

 

 

 

Onto the Abbottsbury Swannery.

 

 

 

Edited October 10, 2023 by 0106

[Shalandara]

1 hour ago, 1of4 said:

Yes, beginning January 1, 2024 US, Canada, Australia plus many other non European citizens will require an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETIAS) to enter most European countries. 

Actually it is being delayed again, until 2025.

https://etias.com/articles/etias-implementation-likely-delayed-to-2025

[mawvkysc]

Thanks so much for this trip report.  I’ll be taking my first HAL cruise in the spring. It’s a TA on

Zuiderdam.  
 

 

[1of4]

2 hours ago, Shalandara said:

Actually it is being delayed again, until 2025.

https://etias.com/articles/etias-implementation-likely-delayed-to-2025

I hope so, but the official ETIAS website still says 2024. It’s best everyone with trips planned to keep checking. 
 

https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias/faqs-etias_en

 

[oakridger]

6 hours ago, mawvkysc said:

Thanks so much for this trip report.  I’ll be taking my first HAL cruise in the spring. It’s a TA on

Zuiderdam.

 

I'll be with you on the TA from Ft. Lauderdale to Ijmuiden!  See you there.

 

~Nancy

[kazu]

14 hours ago, whogo said:

"Please be advised that bringing your passport ashore is required for non-European guests." I was surprised to see that notice on your Le Havre daily program.

 

Great thread, kazu.

 

I was too - never had to before.  I did a bit of googling and it was required.  It’s required in France.  We need them again in Brest, today.

 

I hate carrying mine.  I have a duplicate that I take always but that won’t fly.  Oh well, it is what it is.

[kazu]

Here is yesterday’s dinner menu in the MDR

 

 

& lunch & dinner menu in the Lido.