Beyond the Blue Travel LLC

08/12/2024

The last day was spent in Paris. While I would like to say it was a nice calm, uneventful day, that would be a lie. Our day started out early as we made our way from Reims to Paris.

Once we arrived in Paris, we headed to our hotel the Regina Louvre. The hotel was right by the Garden of Tiuleries and one of the larger Christmas Markets in Paris. After checking, we walked down to the market and then headed to the Effiel Tower. After stopping by the Eiffel Tower, we decided to head towards Notre Dame. That was the start of a downward spiral.

Who tries to go to Notre Dame on the day it is opened after 5 years of rebuilding, with 50 national dignitaries in attendance.🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️So we hopped on boarded thevtrain and headed that way. Too bad it was the wrong train. After a very roundabout way of getting there and many steps, we finally made it. As we got in the area, we found the entire area crawling with national and local police. Every bridge to the island was shut down and we weren't getting anywhere near it. Unfortunately we were just trying to get to the Christmas Market that was supposed to be on the other side. After walking around forever trying to find away around, we abandoned that idea and headed back towards the hotel.

We stopped at the Christmas Market by the Louvre to take in the festivities. This Market was much more like a carnival then a Market. They had carnival rides and games, arcades, and a skating rink with roller blades. There was plenty of food but a short supply of handcrafted Christmas items. After walking around for a bit, we headed back to the hotel to get our room keys.

I picked a Liuvre and Effiel Tower view room. Located on the first floor we o er looked the gardens and Market, the Louvre and the Effiel Tower. Was the perfect room to end the trip.

Our room featured two twin beds, not going to lie going to be nice getting back to an adult size bed on Sunday, and really high ceilings. The room had a certain elegance about it that topped off the trip.

We spent some down time getting ready for our travel day and packing so everything fit. One day left of Bagzilla and we were home free.

When attending Christmas Markets, either pack half a bag or be prepared to buy another suitcase. Most of the items we picked up required bubble wrap and careful handling sothey would not break. This meant they needed to be carried on with us. Luckily we had enough room for all the trinkets we purchased.

We grabbed supper at a French classic restaurant, McDonalds, and the turned in for the night to watch the coverage of the opening of Notre Dame. I may not have been freezing in the rain and wind outside the cathedral, but I can always say I was they when it opened.

We got up early the next morning and headed to the airport for the journey home.

I often tell people travel is about making memories and spending time with those in your life. This trip allowed us an opportunity to do just that. 15 days of exploring the world with countless memories and blisters to prove it. Christmas is a magical time to celebrate our savior and his birth. Being able to travel the world and explore the many different cultures allowed for memories that will last a lifetime.

Start making your memories today with family through travel. And Beyond the Blue Travel will be here every step of the way to assist you.

If exploring the Christmas Markets of Europe sound like something you would be interested in, contact us today and let's plan your next magical Christmas experience.

06/12/2024

Our time in Strasbourg was short and sweet. The city was amazing, but it was time to move onto Reims and continue our journey to Paris for our journey home. Just a quick 2 hr train ride from Strasbourg to Reims, we would arrive in the city with more than enough time to see the highlights. After all, one of the biggest highlights was the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims right across from where we would be staying.

As we left the train station, we headed toward the tram stop and our ride to the hotel. Unfortunately, Bagzilla, also known as my mom’s luggage, had a mind of its own. As we passed a restaurant, it decided to shift its track and take out the menu board on the sidewalk. I quickly scrambled to keep it from hitting the ground while my mom laughed at the antics of her luggage. I, however, was not laughing. After setting the menu board back up, we continued on our way. A very short tram ride brought us to our hotel, the La Caserne Chanzy Hotel and Spa an Autograph Collection Hotel by Marriott. This 1920’s hotel was built after WWI and served the city’s central fire station. Across the way, also stood the gothic cathedral Notre-Dame of Reims.

We dropped our luggage at the hotel and headed out to explore the area. Apparently, the rooms aren’t ready at noon when you check in, go figure. Our first stop was at Notre Dame of Reims. Having been there before, I gave mom a tour of the inside of the cathedral and explained a little bit about the history to her. We then walked up to the Christmas Market to check out the offerings in Reims.

As we got to the market, we noticed something very different about it. The market was completely surrounded by fences with entry gates and security. As we got to security, we got to learn how friendly the French people are. The hands-on search was more thorough than passing through TSA. And he didn’t even ask me out to dinner first. This was a little surprising that this was the first and only market to do pat searches on every person that entered. Weird. Anyway, we wandered the market checking out the shops and handmade trinkets. The market was decent size and covered much of the park near the train station.

After touring the market, we headed back to the hotel to see if our room was ready. It was not, so we mostly patiently waited in the lobby until it was finally ready for us. After we settled in, we headed to our balcony for some amazing views of the cathedral. After a short break we headed back out to the streets to capture the Christmas spirit of Reims at night.

On the main pedestrian shopping street, we found a large Ferris wheel and a beautifully decorated street. We stopped at La Brigade and had some street food. The dining was family style with no utensils other than tongs. Afterwards we found some gelato to top off the night.

We headed back to the hotel as we had an early morning train to Paris. Once back at the hotel, we were treated to an amazing light and music show on the cathedral. Because we were in a cathedral view room, we were able to watch it right from the balcony.

Next stop Paris.

06/12/2024

05/12/2024

Today we disembarked the AmaKristina and continued our tour through France’s Christmas Markets. Our journey today took us to the Capital of Christmas. From the port in Lyon, we made our way to the train terminal. Normally this would have been an easy journey via tram to the train station. The tram station was right in front of where the ship was docked. However, as we got to the Tram Station, the tram broke down and stopped all Tram traffic from there to the train station. Well this was going to make for an adventure. So we looked up the next cheapest way to the get the train station, the Metro line (subway). The only issue was it was a half mile away. So off we went to find the metro line.

As we got walking, I quickly realized there was an issue. Not with the directions, but with my mom’s suitcase. Her luggage was weaving side to side like a drunken pirate after a weekend on shore. We would soon find out one of the wheels had half of the tire worn down. Not sure how that happened. But note to self, when traveling in Europe and doing the whole planes, trains, boats, and automobiles, make sure you have a sturdy suitcase fit for the occasion. Anyway, we dragged the suitcase to the metro and off to the train station we went. We had left the ship with plenty of time, so we arrived at the train station 1 hr ahead of our train. More than enough time.

We boarded our train and off to Strasbourg we went. The train ride was about a three-and-a-half-hour ride on one of Frances high speed trains. As I may have mentioned, we booked first class seats, which were worth every penny, and in the grand scheme of things was only pennies to upgrade. As we arrived in Strasbourg, we climbed onboard a tram a headed to the hotel.

The less then 10 minute tram ride took us within a block of our hotel….had we gotten off where we were suppose to. Instead, we had to walk about a half mile again to get back to the hotel. Oops. We stayed at the Cour du Corbeau by MGallery. This small boutique hotel is not the easiest to find as it is tucked away from the main streets. It is a historic building that was constructed in 1588. The courtyard is truly a sight to see, with the old-world charm you would expect from a building this old. We had a classic room which was supposed to have two beds, or so I thought, but did not. So I constructed a boarder wall for the evening.

After settling in, we headed off to the Strasbourg Christmas Market. The markets were scattered all over the heart of Strasbourg. We started at what seemed like the main square and the center of it all. It had an extremely large tree at the end of the markets. As we headed through the shops, it was clear this was what I had expected from the Christmas Markets. The streets were lined with vendors selling handmade Christmas crafts and ornaments, food vendors, and more. We made our way to many different locations, each offering a little something different. We also located a two-story carousel near the cathedral. The large tree in the main square had a light and music show as well.

The only downside, it started to rain and France has a ton of bikes and scooters. So not only were we dodging rain drops and umbrellas at neck height, we had to make sure we did not get run over by any French folks on their bikes. As a side note, there are clearly marked bike lanes in France. Don’t walk in them or you will find yourself getting yelled at by a French person, so I have been told.

After walking roughly eight miles again, it was time for supper and a little R & R. We are only in Strasbourg for 1 night, and based on the limited time spend in the city, this is a city you do not want to shortchange yourself in. If we had the time, spending a few days here exploring the city would be amazing. Next stop Reims and the Cathedral of Notre Dame Reims.

05/12/2024

Our last full day on the AmaKristina continued in Lyon, France. We started our day with a tour to the top of one of the hills surrounding Lyon for beautiful panoramic views of the city. At the top of the hill was also a basilica built in the 19th century but completed in 20th century. The basilica, called the baby church by our guide, was dedicated to Mary and featured large mosaics inside the church with gold accents. The site of the church actually featured two churches, one of which had a gold large statue of Mary on the top. The city of Lyon looked to Mary as a protector of the city and to this day still acknowledge her on December 8th with a large festival that brings millions of people to the city.

The views from the top were stunning with panoramic views that went for miles. Just below the basilica was the old town which today is the main tourist area of Lyon. We then headed down to the old town where we were given a brief history of the area. We learned that there are corridors between the streets that are largely unmarked but allow tourists and residents the opportunity to take a short cut between the streets. We also had the opportunity to try real praline and learn a little more about the culinary experiences in the area.

After the old town it was time to head back to the Christmas Market. As we headed into the market, we noticed something completely different. There were significantly less people around, which made browsing the shops much easier.

After spending some time in the market, we spent the rest of the day walking around Lyon and the Old town before heading back to the ship to pack. We headed back out for supper in the city and learned a very important lesson, make a reservation at a restaurant if you want to eat. The restaurants in Lyon are often small and have limited space. We tried roughly 5 to 6 different places before we finally found one that had space for us to eat. I should mention we were with a young couple, fellow agent from Minnesota we met on the cruise ship as we searched for food. The food was good, and the dessert was amazing.

After dinner we headed back to the ship to finish packing ahead of debarkation in the morning. Next stop Strasbourg, the Capital of Christmas.

04/12/2024

Our journey continued up the Rhone River to the city of Vienne. The city of Vienne is steeped in Roman History. Our tour today started with a harrowing ride in a very interesting tram/train on wheels that took us to the top of one of the hills overlooking Vienne. At the top of the hill was a small chapel which hosts services daily. The chapel overlooked the Rhone valley and an ancient Roman theater which today is used for a large Jazz festival each year.

We ventured down from the chapel to the city hall where we had a few minutes to explore a small Christmas Gnome Village. The village was set up for young children to interact with and climb on some of the features. We then moseyed down to the main attraction in Vienne, the Temple of the Vienne Forum. The temple was converted into a church in the 5 century and went through several renovations before it was converted back into the original temple. The then headed to the former cathedral, now just a normal catholic church, which stood prominently near the river. The outside of the church was definitely in need of some rehab. It was missing many of the statues and figures throughout.

After the tour of the church, we were left to explore the city on our own. We only had a half day in this area before we set sail for our final destination, Lyon, France, so after a quick walk around town and a snack, we headed back to the ship. While enroute to Lyon, we had a demonstration on the process of making silk scarfs and other products.

Upon arriving in Lyon, we decided that we would go and explore the City of Lyon at night. We located the Christmas Market and for the first time really felt we had found what a Christmas Market was supposed to be. The shops were endless with handcrafted trinkets and treasures. Candies, treats and other food stands also lined the walkways. With so much to see, it was a good thing we had another full day to explore the city and the area.

We then made our way to a local restaurant for some pizza and gnocchi. After dinner it was time to head back to the ship for the night. 1 Day left.

02/12/2024

Our stop in Tournon, started with a beautiful sunrise over the surrounding mountains. The town of around 11,000 people is home to the start of the Train de L’Ardeche in the Doux Gorges. This steam train has run between Tournon and Lamastre since the 19th Century. The train initially brought passengers and goods to the area.

After a short drive through Tournon, we boarded the steam trains passenger cars and headed up the gorge. As we slowly climbed in elevation through the gorge, we were treated to views of the river below and the jagged rocky terrain. We also were able to witness a functioning aqueduct that ran through the gorge.

After a short cold ride up and down the gorge, we headed back to the ship for an afternoon of sailing up the Rhone River. We took the afternoon off and simply relaxed for the day.

Next stop: Vienne

02/12/2024

Today, we visited the small city of Viviers. The city is located near the world leader in cement production, LaFarge. This small town of roughly 4,000 people is situated on a hill and features small narrow river stone streets. The streets are so narrow that most residents that live in the area have to either park at the top of the hill or at the bottom of the hill and carry anything they need to the house. Mom and I decided to split up today so she could tour with the gentle group and I decided to go with the hiking group that went up to the top of a nearby hill for amazing views of the city and the Rhone river valley.

The tour through the streets was mostly uphill until we reached the cathedral and then the hike continued up a hill to the statute of Mary. The path was rock filled and narrow. As it meandered its way up the hill, it offered several clearings where you could get a great picture of the town. The tail rose a total of 500 feet in elevation and took less than a half hour to reach the top. After spending some time admiring the views from the statue, we headed back down to Viviers Christmas Market.

This small market offered games for the kids, small hand-crafted items, and of course food. I had the opportunity to try some roasted chestnuts, and no they were not over an open fire. The chestnuts were not bad. I found the taste to be a little bland, but overall was decent.

After the market we headed back to the ship for an afternoon of sailing on the Rhone River. I also participated in a seminar with our Business Development Manager for AmaWaterways about all the new products AmaWaterways will be offering in the coming years and the exotic destinations they sail to.

Exclusive offer: If you are interested in booking one of the many river cruises with AmaWaterways, contact me today so you can take advantage of an exclusive offer only available while I am onboard. Get an additional 5% off any sailing along with whatever promotions are being offered at the time of booking.

Next stop Tournon.

02/12/2024

Our 2nd full day onboard the AmaKristina again had two separate tours for the day. To start we took a walking tour of the town of Avignon. This city is located just up the river from Arles and is home the former French palace of the Pope. The city walls are still in existence and many of the towers appeared to be intact as well. The city was found by the church and has a total of 7 different churches for the 7 different popes that once lived at the palace. Today the palace, which has two distinct sections, is used as an exhibition space for artists and for different presentations. The palace housed a total of 9 different Pope’s, however due to the Catholic churches refusal to recognize two of the Popes, only 7 officially stayed at the palace.

After finishing the tour of the palace, we headed out into the streets of Avignon and down to the Christmas Market. The market was small, but started to have some of the shops that one would expect for a Christmas Market. We found a few little shops that offered handcrafted items Christmas items. The market was nice, however lacked the Christmas spirit you would expect to see, during the day anyway. After spending some time in the market, we headed back to the ship for lunch.

The afternoon brought a journey to Pont du Gard, a 2000-year-old Roman Aqueduct. Mom decided to stay back and take a nap while I ventured out with the rest of the group. The Pont Du Gard is one of 17 Aqueducts that were created to bring water from a spring down to the city of Nims. The idea behind the Aqueducts was to keep the water as level as possible to get it to flow to the cities. The aqueduct runs a total of 31 miles and has a drop of less than a half inch for every 600 feet. The aqueducts also had a bridge built next to it in the 17th century to help protect it. Today the aqueduct is on of the best preserved such roman structures in existence. The view of the Pont du Gard from the river bottom was well worth the walk down there.

On the way back to Avignon, we stopped on the opposite side of the river for the best overall view of the city. Upon arriving back at the ship, I found mom and we headed back into the city for a little touring at night. Based on the crowds, it was important to watch out for pick pockets and to make sure you knew where your belongings were. We headed to the main square where the city was getting ready to light the Christmas lights in the main square. We waited around for the lighting of the lights to be lite and then continued with our exploring. We headed back to the Christmas Market and found the at night the atmosphere was much different than during the day. We had an opportunity to try some nougat and of course had to purchase a little bit as well.

We then headed back to the ship ahead of our 11 pm departure. Next stop the small city of Viviers.

29/11/2024

What better way to spend Black Friday then in the south of France touring the City of Arles and the Alpilles Mountain City of Les Baux. Our morning started out with brilliant sunlight and a fairly stiff breeze. We started by touring the French City of Arles, the largest city in France, by geographical area that is. The City of Arles combine a mixture of architectural periods including the Roman Empire, Medieval times, and the Renaissance.

After passing through the ancient wall and towers of Arles, we entered into the winding narrow cobblestone streets. From here we made our way through the streets to the Amphitheater. This coliseum looking structures was home to various games throughout the ages including gladiator matches. Today it is used for various events including bullfighting. Some of the original stone stairs appear to still be used to this day for seating for the events.

We continued on to various locations around Arles made famous by Vincent Van Gough. Van Gough called the City of Arles home for many years and was the inspiration for many of his famous works. Since I am not a Van Gough expert, please don’t ask me to rattle off the names of the paintings, but there was a yellow house (or where it was supposed to be), a coffee shop near a square, the Hotel Dieu (a hospital he stayed at during his breakdown), the amphitheater, and a spot by the river. Some of the location, we were actually able to recreate the paintings with a picture, I think…again not a Van Gough expert.

We also made some stops at the City Hall building, ancient theater where plays were put on for the citizens, and a gin factory. All in all, the tour brought to life the importance of Arles and the world of Van Gough.

We headed back to the ship for some relaxation and lunch before we ventured out on our next excursion. While we are not required to take the tours and could self-tour the areas we were in, all the tours are included with the cruise and provide valuable insight into each location.

After lunch we headed for the mountain city of Les Baux. On the way, we learned the city is also part contemporary as we passed a building created by Frank Gehry called the Tower and his home to one of the many art centers in the area. The city was the first fortified city built in the 10th century. The small city nestled in the Alpilles Mountains is home to just 22 residents but offers some stunning views of the valley below. From the top of the hill, you can see all the way to the City of Marseilles and the Mediterranean Sea. The streets of Les Baux are narrow and steep as they wind their way up to the ruins of the castle at the top. While the castle itself is no longer standing the remnants of it give you an idea of how difficult it must have been to attack the city. The city is also credited with the discovery of Bauxite. The area is also known for their olive oil which was evident by the numerous olive orchards along the drive to Les Baux.

We then traveled to the City of Saint Remy for a stroll through their square before heading back to the AmaKristina. Shortly after arriving back on board, we set sail for Avignon. Tonight, we ate at the Chefs Table with other agents/advisors and our BDM for AmaWaterways Mary Margret. After supper it was time to help decorate the Christmas Trees on the ship. They said it was for fun, but pretty sure it was just cheap labor. We however were still eating so we missed out. After a full day of touring, it as time to call it a night. Next stop Avignon and the Christmas Markets and Pond du Gard, a Roman Aqueduct.

29/11/2024

Happy Thanksgiving. Today was transition day. But before that, a little update on the bathroom of the Bernina Hotel. While we thought it was weird that the bathroom door was mirrored on the inside, I found it even more strange when I realized the door was see-through from the bedroom. There was a screen put across the middle but for someone my height you could easily see in the bathroom. I spoke with the front desk about it and she advised that the doors were installed backwards but instead of fixing it, they put the half a screen on the door. What is wrong with people.

Anyway. We traded the views and majesty of Switzerland for the warmth and fascination of Provence as we board the AmaKristina. To start the day, we boarded our train in Geneva for the first of three legs to Arles, France, (pronounce RL). After 5 ½ hrs, we pulled into the station and found the ship docked a parking lot width away from us.

We boarded the ship in less then 10 minutes and were in our room shortly after with our luggage in tow. For the first time in 5 days, we were able to unpack and feel a little like home. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and getting to know our home away from home.

The AmaKristina is named after one of the founding members of AmaWaterways, Kristin Karst. It features 78 staterooms, most of which have a French and standard balcony. For this trip, we are doing one of those rooms. Stateroom 211 is located on the 2nd deck of the ship and is in a fantastic location. Just a half floor up to the lounge and a half floor down to the main dining hall. The AmaKristina also features a sun deck with a pool and swim up bar, a walking track, chess board co****le and what appears to be a mini golf. The ship also features a fitness room and “spa” with massages and a hairdresser. Being we are this close to the holidays; the ship is decked out in Christmas decorations from top to bottom including the stateroom doors which each feature a Christmas Wreath.

Upon entering the room, we found a small and cozy cabin. Immediately on the left were a set of closet doors and on the right was the bathroom. The room features a sitting area, sort of, with two chairs and a table where you can kick back and relax if you don’t want to be out and about the ship. It also has a small balcony with two chairs as well. The space is small and but has enough room for two people to sit. The room also contains a refrigerator, safe (Not for a laptop) and various other storage spaces. It does however lack drawers for clothing but does have some shelf space in the closet that can double as a drawer. We also noticed a few little interesting features. The bathroom features a window into the bedroom. This window is not covered, but has a switch by the toilet that clouds the window over. It is very important to make sure the switch is flipped when using the restroom or taking a shower, unless you want to give your roommate a show. I am undecided on the design feature as the switch is at a height that could be easily hit while in the small bathroom, especially for a larger individual. Overall, the room is functional for what you need and, in most cases, you will not be spending much time in the room anyway.

The AmaKristina has two dining venues the main dining room and the Chefs Table. The Chefs Table features a 7-course dining experience at the back of the ship and the Main Dining Hall serves a standard menu throughout the week. The Lounge also serves a smaller cut down version of the menu for lunch and breakfast.

During out safety briefing, I found the lounge can get a little loud, but that could just be the folks on board the ship. I found the same to be true in the dining venue, but again that could just be everyone’s excitement for the first day.

We did not take in the nightly entertainment today and instead chose to head back to the room before we hit the ground running in the morning. Tomorrow: Walking Tour or Arles and a tour of the hillside town of Les Baux.

28/11/2024

Quick update- While my Mom slipped and fell on the ice on day 1, she has prevailed and beat Switzerland 4-1 and has walked almost 40 miles since.

Day 2 in Geneva saw us spending very little time in Geneva. This turned out to be the most adventures day as well. We decided to head to the City of Lausanne, about a 45-minute train ride away. Lausanne has been known as the Olympic Capital since 1994. Anyway, not why we went there. Lausanne has a series of Christmas Markets stretched across the city.

Upon our arrival in Lausanne, I let Mom pick the path we would take for the day. She managed to find the steepest, longest hill possible and said that way. She regretted it halfway up the hill. I reminded her she picked the route, and we would have to go down at some point. As we wandered the streets of Lausanne, we came across several of their Markets which like the others consisted of various foods and merchandise. The areas were decorated a little bit better than some of the others. We made out way to the Lausanne Cathedral towards the top of the hill. The views from the Cathedral of Lake Geneva were stunning. I found the Cathedral itself to be a little underwhelming compared to others I had visited in October.

As we made our way through the shops and streets of Lausanne, we decided it was time for a little local cuisine. We found this quiet little place called McDonalds and indulged in the fine dining experience. Surprisingly this McDonalds knew how to serve stale fries just like the ones back home. We quickly finished our food and then it was off to explore some more. As we got to the top of one of the hills, it was time to play Where’s Waldo, except with Mom’s phone.

Back down the hill it was and back to the McDonalds where her phone wait patiently for her return. Luckily for us, no one had taken the phone from it’s resting place. After retrieving the phone, it was back to exploring Lausanne on the way back to the train station. This time I got to pick the route, which Mom quickly stated was worse than going uphill. Guess you can win.

We boarded one of the numerous trains back to Geneva and learned a valuable lesson. For our train travels, I purchased the Eurail pass which allows access to trains across Europe. Our pass gave us 10 days of use over 2 months. The problem came when our tickets were checked on the way back to Geneve. Apparently, I did not activate Mom’s pass for the day until on the train, which is a no no. After getting scolded by the train attendant and told it could be a 100 Franc fine, I played the dumb tourist card and said we had activated the rest of the days for the trip already. We were left off with a warning. Phew.

Once back in Geneve, Mom headed to the room and I decided to wander the streets aimlessly, for no apparent reason. I headed back to the Christmas Market for some holiday lights and ambiance before heading back to the hotel for dinner. Tonight is the last night in Switzerland before we head to Arles, France to catch the AmaKristina in the afternoon.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Don’t eat too much turkey!