Europe2013: Day 35 Friday 19th July Viviers France

It’s fatal to leave this diary which becomes my blog for a day or two and that’s what I have done, so will have to refer to my photos to see where we have been. One day rolls into the next. One walking tour rolls into the next too!! It’s actually Saturday as I write this so I am still way behind with the blog. I will continue on as without it I’ll have no idea where we have been!!! When I can finally put it on the blog with the photos it should be easy (that’s if I ever get the internet again!!!) Hopefully Paris will have supersonic free internet.

This morning we woke to the gentle hum of the ship’s engines as we glided silently and effortlessly along the Rhone. The only ripple in the water was that of the small wake of the ship. Along the banks of the river there was nothing but the occasional rocky outcrop. There was no vegetation. We could have been in the middle of a desert!!

A few kms further up the river it changed and we started to see more shrubs and vegetation. We were able to have a sleep in as we were just cruising this morning. It was very pleasant.

We arrived into a little medieval French village called Viviers and wound our way up through the cobblestone streets to the very old cathedral at the top where we were entertained by a beautiful organ recital. I forgot my camera so don’t have any photos. It’s the oldest working church in France and has a medieval altar. The pipe organ sounded beautiful as it echoed mournfully through the church.

Back to the ship and quickly on to the coaches to visit the lavender fields. By a stroke of good luck (and rainfall over night) the lavender hasn’t yet been harvested, so we were off to see it. I must say, although it was very beautiful, it wasn’t anywhere near as good as the lavender in Tasmania. However we always enjoy our ride through the countryside of France, passing through lots of little villages (just like the ones in the Tour De France if you watch it), vineyards and orchards. In this region most of the herbs are grown as well as lavender and of course fruit. It is still very rocky. The ground has so many stones I don’t know how they plough around the crops. After the lavender visit we stopped at a little village where they were just setting up a twilight market. Paul & Murray bought more apricots. (3 euro a kilo) – THEY WERE DELICIOUS. Paul ate most of his before he was back on the coach. We had a little French picnic in the park by the side of the coach and then back to the ship for guess what? Yes, dinner!!!! It’s lucky our clothes are expandable.

At night we were entertained by the crew in a really funny concert and after that by a very violent thunder and lightning storm which we hoped would cool everything down.