Camembert Cheese & Concrete Cities - Rouen and Le Havre, France

Stats:
Destination: Rouen & Le Havre, France
Number of Days Spent:  1 day
Where we stayed:  RCI's Jewel of the Seas
Best restaurant:   Gooey French chocolate croissants rounded out our picnic in front of Notre Dame Cathedral. 
Best of:  Camembert cheese, Joan of Arc, Monet watercolors
Worst of:    The walking tour of Le Havre outlined in Lonely Planet was a major disappointment.  Could be that the UNESCO listed town itself has little to be desired, at least in our opinion.
Most Memorable:  We brought back some Normandy's stinky cheese onto the cruise ship.  Even double bagged it made our stateroom stink.  But oh it was tasty with bread and a glass of red wine! 

Useful Tip:   Take the train from Le Havre to Rouen, it was quick, cheap & easy and allowed us to go at our own pace.  We had enough time to see the major sights of Rouen & then spend a few hours wandering around Le Havre before getting back to the ship. 
The ship landed in La Havre, the closest port to Paris, and while most passengers were off to see Paris, a three hour one-way train ride, we opted to stop halfway in between the two at Rouen.  Having been to Paris on a separate trip, we found the 6 hours of travel for 4 hours of time in the city not worth the while, but if you have never been to Paris - it's certainly worth any amount of time you can give it no matter how small.
Rouen in its own right has plenty to see and do.  As the capital of Normandy when England controlled it, the city hosted its fair share of historical events.  One such event was the trials of Joan of Arc.  The famed teenage military leader was tried for heresy, found guilty, and burned at the stake here in Place du Vieux Marché square.  Later the ruling was reversed and she was canonized as a saint and martyr.  A modern structure stands on the spot where it all went down and thousands of Catholics come to worship and praise one of the patron saints of France.  The church is designed to resemble the pyre upon which she was burned.
    
Also in the square with Joan sits a small market.  Fresh produce, cheese, meats, and hand made soaps dominate this tiny market.  Of course our day in France would not be complete without a few goodies to make a picnic. 

After picking up our ingredients for a picnic, we headed out to see a couple more sites around town.  The city is filled with several fine examples of Gothic architecture. 
 
 
The city also boasts one of the finer collections of half-timber homes still in existence in France.  These "gingerbread" style homes can be found in many parts of Europe, but the French, as always, have a style on their own.

In the heart of the old city lies the Cathedral Notre Dame of Rouen.  The church dates from as early as the 12th century, although it has been added on to over the years - most notably the addition of the metal spire to make it the tallest in the world at the time.  Also buried here is the heart of King Richard the Lionheart.  This Gothic masterpiece inspired a series of paintings by the famous impressionist painter Monet. Monet sat outside the cathedral painted virtually the same painting only at different times of the day to catch varying degrees of light. 
  
  
Feeling a bit inspired ourselves, we spread out our picnic and followed in the footsteps of Monet by admiring the beauty of the Cathedral combined with a little people watching.  Pick up some wine and cheese from the market, tacked on some bread and chocolate croissants from a nearby bakery and viola a typical French meal without spending a fortune in a restaurant!

After having a little coffee after our picnic, we strolled through an excellent art museum.  As one would imagine, Monet and Impressionist colleagues were well represented.
 
Even the train stations in France are photogenic; Tracy couldn't resist photographing the train station in Rouen.  We love the whimsical style writing on the signs.

Back in Le Havre, we decided to take the quick walking tour that is outlined in Lonely Planet.  With allied razing during WWII leaving the city virtually in rubble, the rebuilding process was handed over to an architect by the name of Perret.  What resulted is considered by many to be his masterpiece.  UNESCO recently added it to their list of World Heritage Sites for "innovative exploitation of the potential of concrete".  Hmmm...what could be more exciting than concrete!?!  Well, let's say we were less impressed than the voting committee at UNESCO.  Using mostly concrete in construction, everything was rebuilt from office buildings to concert halls to churches.  It feels more eastern block communist than free enterprise modern day Western Europe.  While it was an ok detour, I certainly would not make any extra efforts to return.
What is up with these statues? 

Perhaps the crown jewel of Perret's town is the cathedral tower that dominates the skyline.  Much in the same utilitarian fashion as the rest of town, the tower is made up of concrete and stained glass windows.

What the heck is this?  Well, it's called Vulcan, or Volcano, and they apparently have concerts inside.  Looks more like a Nuclear Power Plant tower, but to each their own.

Back safely on board the ship, we set sail for the next port of Cherborg, France!
To see more photos from Rouen click here! 
To see more photos from Le Havre click here!

On our way home...Crossing the Atlantic! Atlantic Ocean

Stats:

Destination: Crossing the Atlantic, Final Destination Boston, MA

Number of Days Spent:    13 days (6 at sea)

Where we stayed:   1 night on the Stena Brittanica for $70/person in a 2 berth cabin then we walked onto the RCI Jewel of the Seas - Our 12 night cruise ran us about $1000/person for an outside cabin.  It certainly wasn't the steal we got traveling east bound but it wasn't too terrible either, especially considering the price of flights back to the US. 

Best restaurant:   Jason really liked the pub grub at the Sea View Cafe at the back of the ship.  The dining room sold a bottle of wine we both loved, Carmenere Arboleda from Chile (about $35).

Best of:  We loved going Westbound on the ship.  It was great to gain an extra hour every day at sea!  We arrived in Boston well rested & jet lag free.

Worst of:    We picked up some wonderful but very smelly camembert at the market in France.  It was fabulous with a glass of red wine & a freshly baked baguette.  Sadly, even double bagged with ziploc baggies it made our room stink (big time).  We eventually had to dispose of the remainder of the cheese in the public waste receptacle.  We still wonder what our stateroom attendant thought about our stinky room :-)  

Most Memorable:  It's not a nice memory but it was interesting seeing a lady get air lifted by helicopter off the ship by the Canadian coast guard.  Good thing she was in Canadian waters...free health care :-)   

Useful Tip:   We booked our trip last minute from a travel agent that bid on it from www.cruisecompete.com.  While it wasn't the stellar deal we found going East bound it was the best we could find and we ended up getting an onboard credit by going with an agent from that site.  

After a great time in Amsterdam we said goodbye to our friends, Marije & Fetze, and headed for the sea.  Fetze was kind enough to drive us to the ferry terminal at Hoek van Holland where we boarded an overnight ferry for Harwich.  Jason and I were pleasantly surprised, while our cabin was teeny tiny with bunk beds it was was very clean and a comfortable way to travel overnight to the UK.  When we arrived in Harwich we walked right off the ferry, through immigration and then next door to the cruise terminal where the Jewel of the Seas was parked.  As fellow British travelers would say, It was a seamless connection.  We had to wait several hours to board the cruise ship so we passed the time by catching up on this blog and watching the passengers disembark from our ship.

 

A few hours after we arrived it was finally time to board the ship, Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas.  This was the first time for us for on RCI & our first time with an outside window (for those of you that cruise in an inside cabin it's like sleeping in a cave, you have absolutely no idea what time it is when you wake up). 

Our cruise included the following stops:

• Le Havre, France
• Cherbourg, France
• Cork, Ireland
• Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Iceland
• Boston, MA

We will write more about these stops in future entries.  In addition to the scheduled ports we also had 6 sea days while crossing the Atlantic.  We spent the time playing trivia (our team won the cruise wide trivia game), board games, making beaded crafts (not sure why but this ship had a lot of them), reading books, getting caught up on the blog (it seems like we are ALWAYS doing this), chatting with our shipmates, playing putt putt, swimming in the solarium & lounging in the hot tub.  As always on cruises dressing up for dinner is always part of the fun! 

 

To see more photos from our crossing click here!

Canals, Red Lights and Cafes; you just have to Gogh - Amsterdam, Netherlands

Stats:
Destination:   Amsterdam, Netherlands
Number of Days Spent:  4 days
Where we stayed:  When we met in Laos, our friends Marije & Fetze invited us to stay with them.  We had an amazing time exploring the city with them both on foot & by their boat.  Thanks again guys, you made our stay in Amsterdam really special!
Best restaurant:   Fresh raw herring from a street stall (numerous located all over the city).  Topped with onions and a couple of pickle slices thrown on the side it does not look too appealing, but it was surprisingly delicious.  If you have a few extra $$'s, we are told the freshwater eel is even better.  Next time...maybe.
 
Best of:  Cruising around the famed canals, wandering through the Van Gogh museum, the chilling Anne Frank House, learning just how short you really are - the Dutch are the tallest people in the world.
Worst of:    While waiting for a free outdoor concert to start, it started to pour down rain - we were soaked head to toe by the time we made it back to the train.  We were sad to miss the concert but it was still unforgettable.
Most Memorable:  Pizza delivery in a boat?  Our friends called ahead and ordered pizza for dinner while we were cruising around the canals.  Due to recent changes in the health code, they are no longer able to hand the pizza to you while in the boat..perhaps one too many drunk drops in the water...

Useful Tip:   "The Netherlands" refers to the country itself.  "Holland" is a providence (or state) within "The Netherlands".  Anything made in or anyone living in "The Netherlands" are considered Dutch. 

Progressive, entrepreneurial, free thinking, tolerant.  The city of Amsterdam and its people are all these things.  The worlds first stock exchange was created here.  World renowned artists like Van Gogh and Rembrandt called this place home.  Religions of all creeds have looked for refuge in the "low lands" of The Netherlands.  That free spirit plays out on the streets of Amsterdam like no other place on Earth.  Regardless of your personal feelings on morality and equality, the government here does not see itself as the morality police, but rather, a protector of its people.  Things that are considered criminal in most countries are instead controlled and regulated here.  Marijuana smoking is legal, but only in specified areas.  Prostitution, i.e. the famed "Red Light District", is practiced but with heavy rules and regulations.  The whole out in the open policy creates an interesting dynamic.  Business attired men and women stroll past red lit windows and smoke filled "coffee" shops on their way to work.  Whether you agree with these policies is irrelevant.  It's these policies that makes Amsterdam...well...Amsterdam to a, sadly, large part of the visiting tourists. 
The rest of this blog, however, represents the less "seedy" aspects of Amsterdam.  Beyond the haze and red lights lies a city that is chic and modern; yet, reflective on its upbringing.  From shop lined squares to the famed canals; sombering remberences of a dark time to the Golden Age of Dutch art, it can all be found right here. 
Created mainly from reclaimed land, the city lies a couple of meters below sea level making it a pleasure to explore on foot or bike.  Once again our friends Marije and Fetze showed us around the town.  First on the list was the Oude Kerk or "Old Church".  Built in the early 14th century the mostly wooden interior ceilings have remarkably withstood the tests of time.  The floors are made primarily of gravestones from some of the early important people of Amsterdam, notably Frans Banning Cocq made famous by Rembrandt's "Night Watch".  Ironically, the church sits in the heart of the present day red-light district.        
 
Upon leaving the church we simply strolled around town checking out the architecture, sampling the afore mentioned herring, and drinking a couple of beers with our friends at several pubs around town.

One of the best things to do in Amsterdam is to simply stroll around and check out the architecture, do a little people watching from the numerous street cafes and let life stroll by. 

After having a nice dinner, we tried to see a free concert going on in one of the squares but the rain started and by the start of the event, it was pouring down rain.  Good thing we brought one umbrella for 4 people!
 
Another must while in Amsterdam is to see the canals from a boat.  The purpose built canals were laid out and designed in the 17th century during the Dutch Golden Age when the population of the city was bursting at the seams and access to the ocean was a must.  From the main harbor a series of half moon canals gyrate out easily allowing boat access to the harbor from nearly anywhere in the city.  Somewhat of an engineering feat, and yet a simple design that still works til this day.  Passing under quaint little stone bridges, cruising by the numerous kitschy houseboats, and craning your neck to see all the multicolored buildings that line the canals make a cruise along the canals one of the top things to do.  Marije and Fetze once again showed us great hospitality by taking us out on their boat for the afternoon complete with wine & a stop for pizza eaten on the side of the canal!  Does life get any better?
Here is where they live, just South of Amsterdam: 
 
The funky looking building is a Children's center of some sorts.

Someone certainly had a sense of humor when they built the "Wooden Shoe" boat. 

The canal also allows you to get different views and angles of the multitude of architectural styles.
 
Here we are waiting our turn at the one lock that we had to pass to get from their house to Amsterdam.
 

The next day we took the train in and went museum hopping.  The Rijksmuseum was first on the list. The most important museum to Dutch art, the Rijksmuseum contains over one million pieces ranging from paintings to giant doll houses.  The more famous works of art were completed by Rembrandt and his pupils with the highlight of the museum being the "Night Watch".  One of my favorites, the Nightwatch is a massive canvas covering an entire wall and displays Rembrandt's excellent use of light to highlight the afore mentioned Frans Banning Cocq in amidst his company of men.  As large as the canvas is, it used to be even larger.  In the 18th century the canvas was chopped down to fit on the wall, a tragic but all too common practice during that time.
Leaving the Rijksmuseum, we crossed the park over to the Van Gogh museum.  While Van Gogh only lived here for a short time, his brother, and receiver of his estate, lived here and thus took his collection and turned it into a museum after Van Gogh committed suicide.  This is the largest collection of Van Gogh's in the world and includes  many "Self Portraits" along with the "Potato Eaters" and "Sunflowers".

Leaving the museum area, we headed back into the heart of the city.  Since Tracy had been to the Anne Frank house on a previous trip she opted to do a little shopping while I headed into the museum.  The Diary of Anne Frank is a personal diary written by a Jewish girl who went into hiding when Nazi Germany invaded Amsterdam.  For nearly two years, the family hid in a space above the warehouse where the father worked.  Sadly, the story ends with Anne and her family being discovered and hauled off to concentration camps.  Anne dies just before the war ends, but her father survives and turns her personal journals into a book.  It's a moving story and  has been mandatory reading for so many literature classes ever since.  The museum takes you up to the hidden rooms and explains how they lived in hiding, were helped by workers at the plant and their eventual discovery by the Nazis.  
After a filled day of sightseeing, Marije and Fetze served up a feast fit for kings and queens.  Thanks again guys!
 
 
Our last day in town was spent wandering the canals, sipping coffees while people watching in the many different neighborhoods like the Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein & our favorite area, the Jordaan.  We topped the afternoon off by drinking away our sorrows at the Heineken Brewery.  What the brewery lacks in charm it more than makes up for in over the top brand promotion and hi-tech attractions.  From e-mailing video messages back home to a ride where you are beer being made (including getting "splashed" as you, the hops, hit the barrel), the brewery is more like a theme park.  At least you get a couple of beers at the end.  



Out of beer and out of time, Fetze took us to the ferry where we were off to England to begin our cruise back to the US!  Thanks again to our friends and we promise to come back, clad in Orange, for Queens Day!
To see more photos click here: Amsterdam!

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