As an avid amateur chef, I look looked very much forward to today's experience at Michelin starred Alain Ducasse cooking school. Located in the posh part of Paris in the 17th arrondissement, the school offers ongoing classes in a variety of styles. Our mission today was to prepare a main course of guinnea fowl with… Continue reading Cooking with Alain Ducasse
Remembering D-Day
This morning we left the comfort of our ship early to drive to Normandy's landing beaches of Omaha, Juno and Gold. An emotional day awaited us that led to amazing conversations and sharing of life stories across nationalities and backgrounds. Viking Cruises outdid themselves with this intimate, appropriately balanced ceremony honoring the fallen & the… Continue reading Remembering D-Day
Giverny Gardens & Seine Valley
Daffodils blooming in spring are my favorite sign of a new season upon us. When they are located in the city of Giverny and formally owned by master artist Claude Monet, the experience will certainly be remarkable which it was. Our lovely ship Viking Kadlin (a traditional long ship) docked in Vernon - just across… Continue reading Giverny Gardens & Seine Valley
Paris – mon amour 💋
A stunningly beautiful spring day awaited our group this morning - once the dense fog had lifted. In town for a taste of Viking River's Seine and Normandy cruise, guests were given a choice of a guided city drive with Versailles or free time to explore. Who could ever resist the charme of this ultimate… Continue reading Paris – mon amour 💋
Is extra legroom economy any good?
With tens of thousands of miles in the air over the past 12 months, I had the opportunity to explore this question at length. The below blog will share what I have learned in terms of experiences aboard in relation to cost. (Above - Singapore Premium Economy) The model varies by airline as some require… Continue reading Is extra legroom economy any good?
Vietnam & Cambodia – final reflections
Back home after a 15 hour flight on Singapore Airlines. Vivid memories of a life-changing trip will be with us for a long time. I felt that the best way to capture my thoughts about this trip is through an FAQ format. So here you go: Would I do this trip again? YES absolutely Would… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – final reflections
Vietnam & Cambodia – final leg
Our journey is rapidly approaching it's final day with a short flight from Siem Reap to Singapore on Silk Air. Sad to leave our oasis of the outstanding Belmond La Residence behind, I am giddy with excitement to show Greg the world class city that Singapore has become. It's main attraction is the Marina Bay… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – final leg
Cambodia – the Crown Jewels – Part II
A restful night sleep and I was like new. I must admit that yesterday's heat got to me as mybody shut down by dinner time. It is definitely a "hot climate" here and humid so be prepared and take it slow. That said, we embarked early for our visit of Angkor Wat (city of monks)… Continue reading Cambodia – the Crown Jewels – Part II
Cambodia – the Crown Jewels – Part I
A short 36 min turbo prop flight later we landed in the jungle city of Siem Reap- home to Cambodia's Crown Jewels of Angkor Thom and Wat. Thanks to our expert ground team from A&K, we got picked up and whisked away to the Belmond La Residence hotel in the heart of Siem Reap. 59… Continue reading Cambodia – the Crown Jewels – Part I
Vietnam & Cambodia – bye bye Avalon Siem Reap
Our family away from home for the past 7 days celebrated with us for a farewell dinner and reception. While the staff is predominately Cambodian, the navigational crew is Vietnamese but all shared in the warm and welcoming professionalism that made this cruise an outstanding experience. Caring, compassionate, and efficient, these team members made our… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – bye bye Avalon Siem Reap
Cambodia – countryside life
Our final two days in this mesmerizing country were spent visiting locals in their villages, schools and temples among other sights and sounds. An ox cart ride of 20 minutes was our introduction to this last of our various transportation modes. Bouncy and rough, our caravan of oxen bobbled their way along the raised road… Continue reading Cambodia – countryside life
Cambodia – Street children’s life – non profit
One way to make difference is to visit countries like we are to share our wealth and knowledge with them. Tourism is one of the ways, supporting non-profit organizations is another. Tonight we were privy to a special performance of music and dance by the orphanage organization Cambodia Children's fund. The dances were both educational… Continue reading Cambodia – Street children’s life – non profit
Vietnam & Cambodia – a new reality across the border
After 3 full days cruising the Mekong in Vietnamese waters we crossed over the border to Cambodia. A completely different experience awaits. While wars ravaged both Vietnam and Cambodia, their histories are quite different. Vietnam struggled between east (communist north) and west (capitalist south) with a protracted proxy war between the US and its allies… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – a new reality across the border
Cambodia – looking genocide in the eye
Today was a heavy day for our small Avalon Siem Reap family as we visited the memorial site of the S-21 prison in Phnom Penh before heading out to the Khmer Rouge genocide center 8 miles out of town. Words are hard to come by when faced with this scale of masterminded and deliberate destruction… Continue reading Cambodia – looking genocide in the eye
Cambodia – complicated history
A sunny and warm morning greeted us in Phnom Penh after sailing upriver all night. Traveling by cyclo (single pushed seat by a biker) we made our way to the Royal Palace and the National Museum to learn about Khmer culture and art. Run as a kingdom, Cambodia is still the poorest of the 4… Continue reading Cambodia – complicated history
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