I didn’t give much thought to Halloween or a costume because I didn’t realize that Halloween is apparently a universal celebration. With the tragedy that hit South Korea by party goers celebrating Halloween, I learned that it is celebrated everywhere. Unfortunately Seoul was a great tragedy.
But on the Sky Princess they were decorated with spiders, webs and ghosts.
Passengers were dressed in all sorts of costumes, from nuns and priests to dinosaurs and alligators. Everyone having fun to the beat of Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
It was a lively crowd even though many were even more senior then us. They had a competition – men vs. women to make a person into a mummy using toilet paper. It was a silly contest and both teams fell short but they gave champagne to both teams.
All was fun and the chefs even decorated the pastries with ghouls and goblins.
Next time I’m aboard a ship for Halloween I will bring a costume. It was great fun watching and doing a little dancing too!
Last night was formal night. I checked the menu out. No escargot or lobster so we dressed a little and went to the buffet but not before we saw this spectacular sunset from our balcony.
We woke up losing an hours sleep because we are back in France. We’ve been to Cherbourg in the past and went to the Normandy beaches and the museums related to WWII. So today we decided to just walk around the town of Cherbourg.
At the port terminal we bought shuttle passes for 4 Euros that was for roundtrip to Town.
At the first stop we got off, hunting for a pastry shop. The first place was crowded but we found a lovely place, Patisserie Yvard, shortly after wards. I had a chocolate pastry and Bruce had a Napoleon.
Mine was fabulous – rich chocolate with a crunchy base and a cream filling. Bruce’s was a flaky crust filled with layers of custard.
As you can see there was so much to choose from.
We walked the streets and took in the charm of this French town.
Since it was Sunday, most everything was closed. But it was nice to be out and about although a bit nippy!
The only shops open today were pastry shops. I could have eaten a dozen but Bruce was satisfied with one so I’m going to be good and not indulge.
We didn’t walk all that much. Perhaps two miles.
The buildings were quite old, apparently surviving the bombings during WWII.
Also it was interesting that the Titanic sailed out of Southampton with its first stop in Cherbourg. We walked through the area that is where they have the school of music.
And I always have to take pictures of unique door knockers.
We arrived back on the ship in time for late lunch. I had roasted vegetables. Bruce had pea soup and shepherds pie.
We are meeting some new found friends for coffee and then catching a show. No more internet for three days.
Finally we can unpack for 14 days. Cruising is as restful as you want to make it or as lively. Right now I need a little restful. I’m starting to feel my age.
Everything has been wonderful. We loved Paris. Our hotels were great and everyone we met was friendly. Now it’s time for some R&R at sea, although we hit Cherbourg tomorrow.
We made it through security and onto the ship in record time.
All was easy peasy. Now for a little music and food!
Our stay in London was a one nighter and we had made plans to have a private driver take us to Southampton for an overnight before we board our ship back to the US.
It’s about a two hour drive from London so we sat back and relaxed. We did drive by Baker Street. Next time we are in London I’d like to go to the Sherlock Holmes Museum.
We arrived at our hotel in Southampton. Nothing fancy. It’s a Doubletree by Hilton. I’m a Hilton Gold member so we had early check in and bottled water. They also gave us delicious cookies.
Our afternoon was spent taking a two mile walk to the Commons. On our walk, we came upon an old church. Unfortunately the doors were locked.
The Commons was a lovely park with walking trails.
It was a pleasant Autumn day and we of course stopped for a selfie.
There was a small pond in the park with lots of birds.
We made our way to the Cowherds Pub where we had a glass of sparkling strawberry infused water.
It was a cozy pub and we sat by the fire. Living in Florida we don’t get a chance to sit in front of fireplaces.
After a relaxing half hour or so, we were ready to get back to the hotel, although reluctantly leaving the warm fire. The 2 mile trek back seemed like 5 miles.
Not having a car limits our mobility so we chose to eat in the hotel. They had fish and chips on the menu. So what’s a trip to England without indulging in that. Bruce ordered a pasta dish. The waiter brought out our meals and whatever he brought me it wasn’t fish and chips. So I had to wait a bit for my meal as Bruce’s started cooling off. The waiter finally brought the real fish and chips and it was delicious.
Then another waiter came by and asked if we wanted dessert. We asked to see a menu. He never came back but walked right by our table. At this point we called the manager over. We told him about the meal and how I was given something I didn’t order and then about having to wait for my food. Also about the dessert menu. So he was very nice and brought us the menu and took our order. He brought us the desserts. Bruce had sticky toffee pudding and I had a chocolate coconut almond cake with coconut ice cream. Both delicious.
The manager asked us if he could give us a bottle of wine. We told him that we don’t drink. So he said our meal was on the house. We objected but he insisted. He was a very competent manager. Now he just needs some help with his staff!
Off to bed because tomorrow we are cruising back to the US on the Sky Princess.
Bruce really likes trains so I decided to book the train through the Chunnel from France to England.
We woke around 8am. It’s hard to get used to the sunrise so late. It still felt like the wee hours of the morning. I had my usual breakfast of granola and yogurt. I had time for two cups of coffee today which I desperately needed.
Our cab picked us up at 10am for a train at 12:13pm. I usually book first class or business on the train but I figured for a two hour ride regular would be fine. I think it was a mistake but at least we had assigned seats.
Security was in two phases and nobody spoke English so I was hoping we were going there the right way. Passports were shown, photos taken and luggage scanned.
Now waiting for train which was delayed 30 minutes. And the crowds grew.
Finally on board we could relax in fairly comfortable seats.
The countryside was not easy to see. Sometimes we were down below the tree line.
But I was able to get a few shots of the French countryside.
We had a little snack on board, a chicken salad sandwich on a baguette. I decided to forego another cup of coffee and have a Coke 0,
Once we reached London, we found our way to the taxi area. It was a short line but met a nice couple in front of us who were from Australia. The cab driver was very helpful with our bags.
The cab even had a full window roof.
Our hotel, the Kimpton Fitzroy London is over 100 years old. I booked our room using chase points and they also gave us an upgrade.
The lobby is old but has the feel of luxury with a fine marble staircase.
Our room was ok, the bed is comfortable but we don’t have much of a view.
We went for a walk around the neighborhood then had scones at the Palm Court restaurant in the hotel.
A dragon made of Bronze sits on the bannister at the second floor landing. They call him Lucky George. His twin, placed on the Titanic, was lost at sea.
We decided to have a bite to eat at the hotel restaurant, Galvin Bar and Grill.
We weren’t very hungry after the scones so I ordered a pumpkin soufflé and Bruce had a fish soup. Luckily we weren’t very hungry because they weren’t substantial.
And now it’s time for sleep. We are both exhausted from a lot of walking and the hectic pace. Two more days and we will be on the ship.
If you are traveling to Paris, you can’t miss the Louvre. It’s actually the only thing I bought advance tickets for. We arrived in Paris on Monday and Tuesday the Louvre is closed. So Wednesday was our day to visit. I scheduled our time for 9am when the doors open.
We woke at 7 and had a quick breakfast at the hotel. I liked granola and yoghurt and croissant. So that’s what I had. I only had one cup of coffee though so I was kind of sluggish.
We were originally going to call an Uber but my app said the museum was less than a mile away. We actually saw the sun rise over the Seine. Sunrise is pretty late, 8:26.
When we reached the museum the line had already started to form.
We waited about half an hour. They were right on time opening. By that time the line was 10 deep, and that was just for the 9am visitors.
We rushed through the museum to get to the Mona Lisa. No problem seeing the painting up close and quickly. The line was very short. If we had waited or took our time getting there, we would have been on a very long line again. So if you plan to do this, make sure you book the earliest time.
Afterwards we sauntered around the museum. I wasn’t expecting it to be so massive. There were rooms off of rooms.
There were lovely views out the windows as well.
We stopped at the cafe for a very much needed cup of coffee and croissant. There wasn’t a line when we went, but as we sat there drinking our beverages, the lines again grew longer and longer.
Refueled, we went in search of the Venus de Milo. It took a bit of up and down and crossing over but we found her. Luckily the crowd was still not too crazy.
We also spent a little time in the Egyptian exhibit. And the Islamic and Middle East section. We stopped to rest a bit as well.
My take on the Louvre is go early and plan to see what you want to see. By noon it was extremely crowded. Bruce and I were starting to get claustrophobic. Finding our way out took a bit of doing as well but we finally got there. And we came out to this lovely music.
We walked out through the Jardin des Tuileries, with interesting fountains and art.
I especially liked this sign.
The Luxor Obelisk stands 23 meters at the Place de la Concorde. This is the largest square in Paris and is where Marie Antoinette was beheaded.
After walking around the square we headed to the Batobus to go back to our hotel. This young woman was painting on the bank of the Seine.
After a rest at the hotel we went out for a walk. We went to The church of Saint Germaine. It was lovely with colorful ceilings, interesting statues and exquisite stained glass.
Then we went to the Church of Saint Sulpice. Outside was a huge fountain and the church did not have a steeple with a cross.
This church like Saint Germaine had wicker chairs rather than pews.
Mass was being held and we sat and listened as the priest spoke in French. It was quite relaxing and gave us some serenity.
The inside of the church was massive but not as ornate. It did, however, have a beautiful old organ
Bruce and I went into some shops but maybe most everything was not within my budget. I tried on a pair of sunglasses in Armani. They were $140 and I couldn’t quite rationalize that expense since I probably would lose them or sit on them
We stopped at Cafe De Flora for coffee and tea. I had profiteroles and Bruce had a pear tart.
Now I’m not hungry for dinner so we are going to call it a day!
I know I’m not supposed to be overindulging while on vacation, but it’s hard not to in Paris. We ate a fairly sensible breakfast at the hotel. Eggs, bacon, sausage, croissant, breads, granola and yogurt. I was pretty full after eating all that and figured I could go until late afternoon before I ate again.
Bruce and I decided to buy a Batobus pass, which is a river boat that stops at 9 locations on the Seine. On line, a 24 hour pass was $19 and a 48 hour pass was $21, so the 48 hour pass made the most sense.
Before we boarded however, we stopped at a cafe for coffee and crepes.
It’s about a 20 minute wait between boats which isn’t too bad. We decided to get off at the first stop which was Notre Dame. Unfortunately it is still undergoing repairs from the fire in 2019 so it is not open for tourism. But the Towers stood in all their glory.
As we walked around the cathedral, street performers and musicians set up shop hoping to make a few bucks. One violinist played Hallelujah and he was a crowd favorite.
We walked to the palace of justice and the Sainte Chappelle. We didn’t have tickets to go inside and really didn’t want to wait in the long line.
Our next stop was by the Eiffel Tower but going the opposite direction. I wanted to see the Arc de Triomphe. There was more street entertainers here.
It was a little over a mile away so we stopped at the Winston Churchill Pub for an afternoon repast. The downstairs was a barroom with booths which invoked a feeling of time gone by.
The main dining area was light and airy and the porch, where we sat had the feel of a solarium in an English Country setting.
I had my usual coffee with cream and a mango and coconut pavlova. This was sort of like a merengue. Bruce had an apple crumb with ice cream. We shared and both were delicious.
After our nourishment, we completed our walk to the Arc de Triomphe. Again there was a long line and I had no desire to wait on it.
We walked a few miles back to the Batobus. We just made it. It’s first stop was the Eiffel Tower and we were lucky to catch it when the lights were twinkling.
A few stops along the way and we made it to the one closest our hotel. The buildings looked lovely lit up, reflecting light on the river.
Bruce and I were beat so we decided to eat at our hotel, the Hotel Bel Ami. Besides I have a $100 credit to apply to food or spa services. Since I’m not going to get the chance to have spa time, food seemed the best choice.
Bruce ate pasta in sauce and I had shrimp with rice. Both were very good.
All packed and ready to start our 20 day adventure across the pond. We began with a Lyft ride to Miami airport. Our driver was a nice young man who was fascinated by travel and hopes to do a bit himself. I use Lyft because my card gives me 5X points per dollar spent and I love my points. It’s part of the reason we are able to travel as much as we do.
We arrived at Miami airport with three hours to kill. My Platinum American Express card gives me access to a lot of lounges with Priority Pass and Turkish Air Lounge was right near our gate. So we settled in with cappuccino, sandwiches, cookies and fruit to wait.
We are flying Air Canada premium economy. Our first flight was to Montreal. We are flying Air Canada because I opened an Air Canada Credit Card that gave me two tickets after I met the minimum spend. So our flight cost us $14.40 for two, the amount for taxes.
Montreal was a very quick layover. We had to go through a mini customs and then found our way to The National Bank Lounge, which is also part of priority pass. We had a quick bite of cookies, soup and pasta, then headed to our gate.
We have premium economy seats to Paris and they are as nice as the seats in first class domestic on Delta and American. We were given a little kit which included a toothbrush and toothpaste, socks, eye mask and ear plugs. We also had bottled water and headphones.
We arrived at 7:45 am with very little sleep but excited to be in the City of Lights. Our hotel set up a car service and our driver was waiting for us at the exit. All went very smoothly. We arrived at the Hotel Bel Ami at around 10 am and they had our room ready. I booked this through my American Express Platinum card which offers a $200 discount on Fine Hotels. I also was upgraded to a deluxe room with a $100 voucher for food or spa services.
After checking in, we went out for breakfast. We stopped at a little outdoor cafe and had coffee and fruit tart. The fruit tart was more like an apple cake with a little chocolate swirled through it. It wasn’t what we expected but it was delicious.
It was fun to sit and watch people as we enjoyed our breakfast.
We returned to the hotel and took a long nap. It was much needed as we were planning to walk many miles to the Eiffel Tower. Our stroll took us along the Seine River.
It was a beautiful fall day and many people were out and about enjoying the sunshine.
Tour boats and barges were going up and down the river.
We stopped for a cappuccino and tea on a boat cafe!
After a two mile walk and then some, we finally saw the Eiffel Tower.
We could not get tickets to go to the top, so we were satisfied to see it from the outside.
I wanted to see it lit up at night, so Bruce and I ate at a little cafe right by the Eiffel Tower.
I had a goat cheese and tomato quiche and Bruce had an omelette. Very tasty.
For approximately 20 minutes, the tower sparkled with little lights and then became fully lit.
We woke early enough to have the hotel’s buffet breakfast and to find out how to get to the air strip for our flight to the Arctic Circle. Breakfast was the usual, waffles, sausage, biscuits and gravy, but canned peaches and no other fruit. Coffee was good though. I do like my coffee.
The hotel is quite interesting. Tacky enough to be cool. Funky enough to be interesting. The ceiling in the barroom area, also the breakfast area, is tin plated with Tiffany lamps.
Lots of artwork decorate the walls, along with animal heads, harpoons and assorted Knick Knacks.
There was even an old time piano in the seating area.
Our excursion for the day was to fly north, crossing the Arctic Circle and landing in a small town called Coldfoot. During the base briefing, we were told that due to adverse weather conditions, we may not be able to go to Coldfoot and would need to land in Bettles. Since our trip was already paid for we said we’d go. Our plane was an 8 seater but it was the pilot and five of us. There were two other planes as well.
If you had any fears of flying, this would put you over the edge. It was so bumpy that at times it felt like the bottom was falling out. It reminded me of the Disney ride, Tower of Terror.
It was very soupy too and visibility was a big concern. We went down to 2500 feet and visibility was better.
One of the other planes had equipment failure and we could hear that on our headsets. Our pilot was instructing her what to do. I thought it was getting dicey.
Eventually we all made it to Coldfoot where it was raining. I was hoping for a little snow.
Our tour guide, Steven, met us at the plane and took us to the Coldfoot Camp for lunch.
We had some sandwiches and I had a nice warm hot cup of coffee. Steven told us this is the northernmost saloon in the US.
It was difficult to take pictures in the van. It was very crowded. Steven, took us to the Alaskan pipeline and talked about how it was built.
Our next stop was at the Arctic Circle. This is where we changed tour guides and vehicles. Our new tour guide was Tom.
The bus was a bit more comfortable but the windows were so dirty we couldn’t see out.
We took a short walk on the tundra. This was very interesting. It was very wet and boggy, almost impossible to walk. I was so glad I had my boots on.
The animals eat the many low growing plants on the tundra. The pipeline was everywhere. The pipeline carries approximately 1.8 million barrels of oil daily. It has helped the US become less dependent on other countries for oil. It was an amazing engineering feat, yet it also swathes across this beautiful country, where Alaska loses some of the feeling as the last frontier.
It started raining really hard and it was good to get back on the bus.
For dinner we stopped at the Yukon River Camp. This was very similar to the Coldfoot Camp but it was located on the Yukon River. Tired of being cold and wet, I opted not to hike down to the river.
The chili was very good. A bit spicy but very tasty. Then I had a piece of cherry pie and Bruce had blueberry. We sat and chatted with our tour guide, Tom. He lives in Fairbanks and has been a guide for 3 years.
These beautiful sunflowers were still in bloom outside the restaurant. It really was amazing to see how many flowers were still blooming despite the cold.
We had a two hour drive until we reached our next stop at the Arctic Circle Base Camp where we would spend a few hours waiting to see the aurora borealis.
Everyone was tired. Some people cozied up under blankets and took naps while others did jigsaw puzzles as we awaited the arrival of the lights. It was raining and cloudy so it wasn’t necessarily going to happen.
The bathroom facilities were outhouses – they were lit which was helpful.
Finally we had our first opportunity. They weren’t great because the sky was very cloudy.
But then I finally took one photo and another person did as well, where we captured the vivid blueish green. After that nothing.
And that was about the best there was! I had two nights of Northern Lights. I’m a happy camper.
Our journey continued on the Alaskan Railway from Denali to Fairbanks. We left at 4pm, literally being the last guests in the hotel, employees working diligently around us to clean up for the closure during the winter months. One last view from our beautiful hotel and then on to the rail depot.
After getting our tickets we bundled up outside in the freezing cold waiting for the train to arrive. Cheers went up as the train’s horn blew announcing its momentary arrival.
We were in B car again, Gold Star which includes done ceiling, a meal and 2 alcohol beverages for those who drink. I wasn’t expecting much for scenery but the beginning of the trip was awe inspiring.
As we traveled out of the park, again the fall colors dotted the landscape, yellows and greens, burnt oranges and reds. It took my breath away.
We could see the snow colored peaks off in the distance, more snow then yesterday, proof that winter was fast approaching.
We went under a long steel bridge. As we approached, we could see the River, the canyon and the bridge.
In one moment we were traveling under the bridge.
We saw the Dall Sheep but that was it for the wildlife.
Bruce and I had pot roast for dinner and our table mates had Caesar Salad. We spent some time discussing travel plans and cruise lines. They were very well traveled. For dessert we had these tiny cheesecakes. The food on the train is edible but not outstanding.
The trip was four hours around mountains and along rivers. We finally arrived in Fairbanks at 8 pm. It was still light out. We collected our bags and they took us to Pikes Waterfront Lodge. We asked for a wake up call if the northern lights presented and they did.
It was the end of another beautiful day in Alaska.
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