Tag: European travel

Day Six – Fronsac

Up and out early today. After a quick breakfast, we took the bus and headed out into the Fronsac appellation. This is an area northwest of Libourne and is known more for red wines. Being a right bank appellation, it uses a majority of the lighter and fruitier merlot category.

Chateau Boutinet

This is a privately owned vineyard, meaning it is not in compliance with the strict French regulations known as AOC, rather, they are experimenting and sort of going their own way. That means you will never see this wine in your local store, nor will it ever be exported. This is how wineries begin. This one is run by a husband and wife team. The wife, Nathalie, walked us around the gorgeous property.

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Note that there is a medieval castle on the property. Unfortunately, it is in pretty bad shape. Not from wars, but from time. They are slowly working to restore it, but it is a time consuming and expensive endeavor. Their goal is convert the castle into a Bed & Breakfast.

The fog this day was a dense shroud, inhibiting our sight, but at the same time, was also kind of romantic. After a fascinating and educational tour of the grounds, we were honored with a tasting of wine, which was of course from their own sweat and blood. It was quite good, we even bought a bottle to take back to the boat!

Chateau Rivière

This is the only pool I saw the entire time we were in France. This was an amazing castle surrounded by vineyards and beautiful gardens. The views are spectacular. Too bad we didn’t bring our bathing suits…. maybe next time.

And talk about history? Oh yeah. There are 25km of underground caves that were originally created through mining shale. There is a secret entrance that the French resistance used right under the noses of the Germans who had occupied the castle during the war. The small carvings you see in the stone there were done by the rebels as a means of secret communications.

There was even an underground spring running through the caves. See the rut carved into the floor – pure, clear spring water flowing through there. There were sitting areas and meetings rooms scattered throughout the underground labyrinth, all carved From the shale.

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Yup, that says gallon, yup as in US gallon! You would be very hard pressed to find any other French wine bottled in a gallon jug. The guy that owned the place back in the 70s wanted to be able to impress his American friends when they came to visit, so he always kept some around.

I was just fascinated with this place. We didn’t stay long enough to see the entire sprawling estate so will come back here if we are ever in this area of the world again.

This, combined with the private tour given by the owners of the other vineyard we did today just made for a great day.

Saint Emilion Bike Tour

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Definitely one of our more laid back days. And we deserved it! Slept in a little, and had a late breakfast. It was nice to slow down a little bit. I know, poor me, wha, wha, wha. Anyhow, we were docked at Libourne, France, which is where we departed from on our bicycles at around 1pm.

What’s nice about bike tours is that you can penetrate deep into the mainland, but you get a view of an area that other tourists just don’t get to see from a car or a bus. We really hit the back roads on this one, and even got to eat some grapes right off the vine. I had always thought wine producing grapes didn’t taste very well, but these were actually juicy and delicious. Think about what just happened for a second. A bright, sunny day, riding a bicycle on the bumpy back roads of France, stopping to eat some freshly picked grapes right off the vine! Wow.

Along the way, we would stop so that our guide could give us information about significant landmarks or historical sites. Plus I think she maybe wanted to give us a rest. 🙂 This particular site is of the ancient trenches built by the Romans, probably around 50 B.C. This is the technology they used for controlling the vines and irrigation to produce grapes they used for making wine. And here it is, just sitting out here in the middle of this vineyard, essentially the middle of nowhere. You would never see things like this without a local professional guide.

We worked our way up some fairly hilly terrain (phew, glad I don’t smoke anymore) to the magnificent medieval town of St. Emilion.  This is the same name of the famous wine appellation that you will see on some french wine. Don’t worry, I’ll be giving a wine lesson later.

Saint Emilion was an 8th century monk who left Brittany to seek refuge in the caves of Ascum bas. He wasn’t actually a saint then, haha. His goal was to become a hermit, but he managed to develop something of a following over the years. He and his fellow monks worked the lands to produce wine, utilizing the caves beneath the city as cellars. He became very well known in the area, with his fame extending beyond his lifespan. In the 9th century, the town of Ascum bas was changed to Saint-Emilion.

This is one of those towns you definitely want to spend some time wandering around and enjoying the local shops. Some of the local wineries are represented right here in town, so you can even go to a tasting or two if you wanted. Beware, it is a tad hilly in some places, and others are near 45 degrees angled! We really enjoyed this town. There is a lot to do and see, so we would very much like to come back here again.

From there we were bussed back to our beloved ship, the Amadolce and once again enjoyed a lovely dinner and a relaxing evening aboard the boat. On some evenings, we had a lecture from an onboard wine expert, which was very educational and informative. This was, of course, accompanied by a tasting.

Day Four – Blaye to Bourg

 

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The Citadel of Blaye

Easily one of the most historically interesting places we visited the entire trip! A UNESCO historic site, it was designed by the famous military architect, Vauban, and built to his specifications under the guidance of King Louis XIV in 1685. The idea was to seal off the Gironde river, thus indirectly protecting the city of Bordeaux from (primarily English) invasion. This was accomplished as the stronghold was so fortified, and so intimidating in the completeness of its design that it was never approached by the enemy during that time.

As you can see it is a sprawling endeavor, occupying over 95 acres. And the defensive goals were not only for the river, but also to protect invasion by land. Inside its walls was a complete, self sustaining village capable of housing up to 900 soldiers.

The site has been strategically important as far back as the Romans. To expedite construction time, Vauban´s design incorporated, rather then demolished, the presence of an existing 12th century castle.

There were even secret tunnels built into the design that would allow troops to reach fallback positions very quickly. Part of our tour included exploration of some of these tunnels.

Believe me, I could go on and on about this place and even break the internet by posting a flood of pictures. If you are ever in this region of the world, be sure to get a guided tour of this incredible military masterpiece.

Bicycle ride from Blaye to Bourg

This was a pretty intense ride. While only 18km (11mi), it was through some of the more hilly areas of the coast. And it also required a commitment; once we left on the bikes, the boat also departed! So there was no turning back. It was interesting because as we reached the top of one of the biggest hills, we were just able to see the boat cruising along the river below us. I hate that I wasn’t able to get a pic of that, but we didn’t really make any stops for the duration of the trip.

We got back to the boat just in time for lunch, and boy were we hungry after a ride like that! Jana was, apparently more hungry than me; you won’t find any frog legs on my plate! And the look on her face, well, she just doesn’t look that enthused about them. She does claim, however, that they were delicious; we’ll just have to take your word for that one!

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After that, we went in town for a wine festival. It was in a facility overlooking the river. If you look through my glass, you can make out our boat down there docked on the river.

And fortunately, I will not be running for any political office, so I don’t have to worry about this picture coming back to haunt me! But seriously, it was a great time. They had the cutest little French band you ever saw. There was wine, music, and dancing!

PHEW, hard to believe that was all just one day! That’s another great thing about riverboat cruising; after a long day of adventuring, you know the familiar, comfortable ship will be waiting for you at the dock ready to refresh and recharge you. Once back on board, we had another nice dinner, and some relaxing time on deck. What a great day.

 

Cadillac, France

So you learn that France has a town named Cadillac. Should you have already known this? Do you know the relationship between the French city and the famous car company in Detroit? I sure didn’t. I will tell you, there is actually a relationship, but I’m not going to tell you what it is – ok maybe I will tell you at the end of this article.


Just an absolutely lovely medieval town right off the Garonne river near Bordeaux. Like many towns in this area, it has a good and bad history with the river. Prior to having modern river locks and dams, the towns along the Garonne would occasionally be inundated with the angry backwash and literally flood. At certain times in history, flood levels in the city were as high as 12 meters – that’s nearly 40 feet! But this is the same river that helps water some of the oldest vineyards in the world, and was the lifeline for supplies and commerce for the people living here. Today’s locks and dams keep the river at bay, for the most part, although some minor flooding does still happen on occasion.


As much as possible, the town has preserved the structures from the days of yore, some dating back to the 12th century. Much of the town is built around the 17th century castle. It was a party castle, meaning the famous duke that built it used it to entertain other aristocrats and politicians. It boasted 60 bedrooms, over 20 fireplaces, and had walls covered in gold and silk tapestries. Old Duke Epernon fell from the kings favor and died in disgrace. His son took over the castle and continued construction and decoration efforts. It eventually came to be plundered during the French revolution. The state took it over in 1818 and converted it into a women’s prison! This remained until around 1952, when it was converted into a tourist attraction. Just love the european history!

And that’s it. Oh wait, yes, the name Cadillac. The name of the French town was adopted by Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, the founder of Detroit and Governor of Louisiana, on his arrival to what is now the United States. The Cadillac division of General Motors, and Cadillac, Michigan are named after him. Pretty interesting!


Bordeaux Riverboat Cruise

Bordeaux Riverboat Cruise

Hi folks,

Just wanted to let you know, The Travelin’ Man is on the move! Later this week we will embark on a delicious riverboat cruise through the world renowned vineyards of France. Don’t worry, I´ll take lots of pictures and describe the beautiful vineyards, castles, and towns that we visit. Follow with us as we venture deep into the prestigious wine cellars and sample some of the best wine in Europe.

But despite the sound of that, I insist that I am not a wine snob. I hope to be some day, and trips like this will certainly help. So I will be documenting from a true layman´s perspective.

I will probably be submitting five or six articles total, mostly oriented around the towns you see highlighted on the map. These articles will be permanently posted up on the website. Just click on the Destinations button and select France. The articles will eventually be archived there.

So get ready, it’s going to be a great time!!!

-The Travelin’ Man

 

 

October Update

October Update

Hello from Sweden!

During their European vacation, the Pankows swung by from Paris to visit us for a week. We had a fantastic time! Great dinners in some of Stockholm’s finest restaurants, including B.A.R., Tradition, and the amazing Viking restaurant.

We had a magnificent brunch cruise aboard the S/S Stockholm to celebrate Wally’s birthday. This was just like the dinner cruise, but it’s brunch. The food was traditional Swedish and was exquisitely prepared.

We went to the Vasa museum followed by an elegant lunch at Wärdshuset Ulla Winbladh. We also did the Police museum and the National Museum of Technology. Somehow, we even squeezed in a boat cruise out to my favorite Swedish castle, the Drottningholm Palace.

The men spent a day in Skansen, while the ladies adventured up north and stayed in an ice hotel and journeyed for the northern lights.

And of course we had to have a traditional Swedish whiskey tasting. Notice how we got photo-bombed by Jack!

Joe had a great time in the parks, museums, the zoo, and of course, with Spooky!

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Thank you, Pankows, for coming all the way out here to see us. These were memories of a lifetime. We hope you will return next year since we hardly even scratched the surface this time!

Your Travelin’ Man,

-JC

Uppsala, Sweden

Uppsala, Sweden

Overview (stats courtesy Wikipedia):
Population: 149,245 (2015)
Density: 3,100/km2 (7,900/sq mi)
Elevation: 15 m (49 ft)
Weather: Cold winters, mild summers
Warm season: May – Sep
Language: Swedish, English is very common
Currency: Even though Sweden is in the EU, they do not accept the euro or any currency other than the Swedish crown (SEK).

Founded in the 12th century, Uppsala is 71 km (44 mi) north of Stockholm. Some scenes from The Girl With the Dragon Tatto were filmed here, and it is the hometown of the fictitious character Christine Daaè In Phantom of the Opera. There was also an episode of Vikings that took pace here.

But its biggest claim to fame is its impact on religion, especially during the 13th and 14th centuries, but still largely influential even today. It is also the locale where the famous Queen Kristina, daughter of Gustavus the Great, abdicated the throne in 1654.

The city is also home to the Uppsala Cathedral, where Gustavus Vasa is buried. And it is home to the oldest university in Scandinavia, built in 1477. There is a ton of additional history and sites here, so you can easily spend a day or two taking it all in.

Logistics

We took the train from Stockholm central station. You don’t need an exact time to rush to; there is a train that leaves about every 20 minutes. You do have to commit to a time when you buy your ticket.

The train cost was 190 SEK ($30) for both of us, one way. Different trains will make different stops and so travel time will vary. Ours got us to Uppsala in about 40 minutes.

It was a very grey, overcast day, so sorry if the pictures are a bit dreary.

The Castle and Botanical Gardens

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It´s a working castle and only has tours in the summertime, but the beautiful castle grounds and botanical gardens are open year round.

The gardens began construction under the rule of Queen Kristina (that’s not her in the pic, that’s my lovely wife Jana), but were turned over to the University in 1644 by King Gustav III as a botanical garden.

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While this is not the University itself, it is affiliated with the university. I just included it here because of the fantastic Scandanavian architecture (above).

The Uppsala Cathedral is much older than it looks. It was built (inaugurated) in 1435 and is one of the largest in northern Europe, with towers reaching 118.70 metres (389.4 ft). And as I mentioned, the crypt of Gustav Vasa is in this cathedral. He is considered the  Father of Sweden since it was he who raised the army that retaliated against and defeated King Christian for the infamous blood square. That battle was the catalyst that permanently separated Sweden from Denmark.

After the church, we walked around town some more. It´s a small and cozy town, easy to move around in and not over run by tourists (like us, haha).

Then we ended up at the nicest little Italian restaurant called Villa Romana. I had the pepper steak, and Jana had pasta with beef. Both were delicious! Great food and a good wine selection, highly recommend.

And that’s about it. We walked back to central station and took the train home. It was also around 40 minutes to get back. We want to go back in the summer to see the botanical garden in all of its beauty, but there is also a viking burial mound that we didn’t get a chance to see, so we will be back!

Copenhagen Restaurants

These are the restaurants we went to during our trip to Copenhagen with our friend, Melissa. First of all let me say right up front that restaurant reviews is an area in which I could use some improvement. As I indicated in the “About” section, I have very simple tastes. And I almost always forget to photograph the food before we all start digging in. But I do feel like I’m getting better, so thanks for hanging in there with me!

Aquarium Cafe

Location: Inside the aquarium.

Recommendation: Since this was a cafe, I won’t do a full review. But please note that once you’re out at the aquarium, you are a good ways off from anyplace else to eat. So either eat before you go, bring your own, or enjoy the cafe. I had the fish and chips and it really wasn’t bad at all. At least go get a cup of coffee and sit out and enjoy the spectacular view.

 

Fru Nimb

Location: Inside Tivoli Gardens

Venue: Excellent atmosphere, sat outside on their private terrace. They had table umbrellas and heaters. It looks and feels very swanky, and while it wasn’t cheap, it wasn’t nearly as pricey as I had expected. We had an excellent time and even had a surprise visit from a peacock (no, we didn’t eat him).

Menu: English translations on the menu. The menu is pretty fancy, with a French influence. Melissa and I both got the chicken. It was very delicious and cooked perfectly. I would have preferred a breast versus wrestling with the entire half chicken. I know, poor Travelin’ Man! There was also a roast beef dish, a tar tar, veal, lamb, etc. Jana got the fish, which was superb; kind of wish I had chosen that. Notice the little nicks on the top of the food, “Wait! Forks down I gotta get pictures…”

Drinks: We were a little overheated, so I started with a refreshing cider and switched to the house white for dinner. The wine list tried a little too hard to be diverse and ended up having a bit of an identity crises. But the prices were reasonable, considering the venue, and you will find something you like.

Recommendation: Our server was top notch, everything arrived hot, and there was no long delay on dinner drinks. So if you’re in the mood for a slightly more formal, sit down and take your time kind of dinner, then I definitely recommend this place. We would come back here again.

 

Halifax Vesterbrogade (aka Halifax Burger Restaurant)

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Location: Vesterbrogade 72, 1620 København V, Denmark. Literally right across the street from where we were going for the bicycle tour.

Venue: Fantastic burgers here. We were on our way to Copenhagen Cycles for our bicycle tour and stopped in here for lunch. Very cozy burger-joint style, sort of an American 60’s kind of flair. Big comfortable booths.

Menu: This is where they shine. Pick your burger option from one of many, then the bun, then any add-ones and sides. This is definitely a Travelin’ Man spot!

Recommendation: The service was very good and the staff was friendly. Food was delivered hot and delicious with a smile. We will add this to our must do list each time we come to Copenhagen.

 

Peder Oxe

Location: Gråbrødretorv 11, stuen, 1154 København K, Denmark. Literally inside the square at Gråbrødretorv.

Venue: It was raining so I wasn’t able to get a decent picture, but it is absolutely cozy and cool inside the square. Several nice bars and restaurants here. We got there early, so we had drinks at Huks Fluks, then just walked (stumbled) across the square to dinner. The rain was blowing around pretty hard, so we opted for a spot inside. The place is pretty cool inside, it used to be a monestary. It’s especially interesting downstairs if you can get a table there.

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This is a pic from last time we came and sat downstairs.

Menu: I would call it mostly Danish with a French influence, which is quite popular in Copenhagen. It’s a little on the pricey side, but not too much so. I had the Striploin steak, which was good, but Jana got the venison and it was outstanding. Melissa got the lobster soup, which was salty, but tasty.

Drinks: Very good selection of French, Italian and Spanish wines, with a few others sprinkled in. Prices were in line with other fine restaurants in Scandanavia, which is to say expensive. 😛

Recommendation: We actually came here last time we were in Copenhagen, and it was top notch both times. Service is excellent, food is delicious, and the wine selection is great. What more could you ask for?

Copenhagen Bike Tour

Copenhagen Bike Tour

 

Recommendation

The Travelin’ Man’s Overall Recommendation: VERY GOOD*
(surprisingly good, exceeding on some levels)

  • What did I like the most: The tour itself was very thorough and original, did not overlap knowledge from our canal tour or food tour.
  • What is the biggest area for improvement: I didn’t care for the back peddle braking system.

Logistics

This was The Urban Tour  with bicycle tour company Cycling Copenhagen  (http://www.cycling-copenhagen.dk)

They are located at, and the tour started at: Cycling Copenhagen, Westend 4, 1661 København V, Denmark.

It was a 12km (7.5 mi) ride around the northwestern part of Copenhagen proper. The cost was 299 dkk, and it lasted about two and a half hours. There is a guide that leads the tour and stops at key points along the way to give you historical perspective on the area or particular landmarks.

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Our tour guide was Jacob, and he rocked it! He was friendly, energetic, and knowledgeable. Since the weather was a bit dreary, we were given ponchos….”just in case” haha. The owner of the tour company came out to wish us bon voyage, it was a nice touch.

The Bikes

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There were two different types of bikes. The white one in the previous section being displayed by our guide was a pretty standard three speed with front and rear brakes on the left and right handles respectively. Others had one like mine, shown here. Also a three speed, but it had the old timey rear brake system where you  reverse pedal to apply the rear brake, and the front brake was on the left handle. Not a big deal, really, although I prefer the models with both brakes on the handles.

Even though it was an urban tour, I didn’t have to use the bell one time! That never happens in Stockholm!

The Tour

We just love bicycle tours and try to take them when we can, mostly determined by the weather. What better way to experience an area than with the wind whipping through your hair, and with no windshields or obstacles blocking your view…

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You can see the exact route we took above. I tracked us using my Fitbit. While it is advertised as a 12km ride, my Fitbit tracked it closer to 14km (sorry, that last little blip was where I forgot to turn off Fitbit tracking). But this could just as easily be an error in the way Fitbit measures it, for example look at 3rd and 4th kilometer, looks kind of suspicious to me. I would trust the pros, but really, we’re only talking 2k here.

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Anyhow, we went through some really nice areas. Above is the front side of Christiansborg Palace. If you read my article on the canal tour, then you saw the back side of this from inside the canal. Yup, The Travelin’ Man gets around.

 

 

 

Jacob took us to a little known sort of private gardens where we got off our bikes and walked around a bit. Absolutely stunning, and the gardens aren’t too shabby either!

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This is a fabulous view of some of the downtown buildings. This just looks ultra contemporary to me. Even with the dreary, overcast weather, this view looks fresh and bright. Copenhagen has done an excellent job modernizing their skyline without compromising historic integrity. Case in point, look at the next picture.

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Definitely not one of my better pictures, but this used to be two cement silos (there is another one to the right). They were hideous to look at, especially in light of the city beautification project, but they were not able to take them down. So they built (high dollar) apartments around and through the silos. Absolute engineering genious!

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Jacob led us through a cemetery that is also a popular park. The idea being to celebrate life by making the cemetery a beautiful park that people can enjoy. And some pretty famous people resting here, as you can see.

And of course just a ton of other great things we saw on this tour. As you may have caught on, it was quite dreary during this tour, and the threat of rain seemed to be increasing as we neared the end of the tour. At one point, we were stopped at an intersection waiting for a light, and Jacob informed us we were only two minutes away from base.

Jana pointed down the street, “We’re not gonna make it”- you could literally see the heavy rain splattering down on the cobblestones AND you could see it moving in our direction! The light turned green and suddenly we were all Tour de France contenders in a every-man-for-himself race back to base!

But Jana was right, we didn’t make it….although it was very, very close and we only got a little bit wet. But it sure was an exciting way to end an already fabulous tour!

* Each area is rated on a scale 1-5, with 1 = poor, 3 = good, 5 = exceptional
How did this do compared to what I had expected: 4
How well were the logistics handled: 3
Was the staff helpful and friendly: 4
Overall execution and presentation: 4
Total score: 15
4 – 8 is POOR (was not at all what I expected and/or was not worth the time/money)
9 – 10 is OK (quality of the experience was a little low, but I enjoyed it)
11 – 13 is GOOD (met expectations, would recommend, would do again)
14 – 15 is VERY GOOD (surprisingly good, exceeding on some levels)
16 – 20 is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (outperformed my expectations, great value)

 

 

Copenhagen Canal Tour

Recommendation

The Travelin’ Man’s Overall Recommendation: GOOD*
(met expectations, would recommend, would do again)

  • What did I like the most: Historical perspective from guide was quite good
  • What is the biggest area for improvement: Some windows open from previous ride which made those seats by the window too wet to sit in since it was drizzling

Logistics

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This is The Grand Tour. You can pick it up from Gammel Strand or Nyhavn. It’s the same tour. The cost is 80 ddk ($13) and it lasts about an hour.  You’re in a standard flat boat, which is needed to get under some lower hanging bridges; there is no bar, snacks, or bathroom, and it’s non stop. It’s a guided tour, and it leaves every 10-30 mins (summertime).

You can book in advance online, but I recommend just walking over to one of the two boarding areas a half hour or so before you want to leave.

The Tour

Overall it is quite informative and covers many of the major landmarks in the area. The windows on the boat open all the way up and over your head, which makes for great views.

The Black Diamond, the Little Mermaid, Christiansborg Palace (from the back), and the Copenhagen Opera House to name but a few. It was a bit dreary when we went, so the pics aren’t my best work.

The captain drifted around behind the Little Mermaid for a bit so we could all get a good pic. I thought that was a nice thing to do.

Overall a great way to acclimate yourself to the area. Jana and I also did this tour last time we were here and we liked it then, too.

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And I guess Melissa didn’t see the sign under the window about keeping hands and arms inside the boat. Yes, it was in English! Punk.

* Each area is rated on a scale 1-5, with 1 = poor, 3 = good, 5 = exceptional
How did this do compared to what I had expected: 3
How well were the logistics handled: 3
Was the staff helpful and friendly: 3
Overall execution and presentation: 3
Total score: 12
4 – 8 is POOR (was not at all what I expected and/or was not worth the time/money)
9 – 10 is OK (quality of the experience was a little low, but I enjoyed it)
11 – 13 is GOOD (met expectations, would recommend, would do again)
14 – 15 is VERY GOOD (surprisingly good, exceeding on some levels)
16 – 20 is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (outperformed my expectations, great value)