Hatfield European Adventure, Part 2, 2016: September 2016

Paris, Au Revoir, 09-16-2016

Disembarkation. We have been gone from home 3 weeks. Football season is upon us and Auburn needs our help. Texas Tech needs Larry and Pat. We will get home tonight and jet lag or not, we will be in the stadium tomorrow night. There is not a lot I can say about this trip that would be better than what Linda posted....so here is Linda....

We have returned from a fantastic trip to Germany and France. The people were warm, welcoming, and friendly. There were people who stopped to offer help when we were checking our map. We were offered seats on crowded buses and trains. We were thanked especially in France for traveling to their country and supporting them. The tourist industry has been hurt and people will certainly lose jobs. Bad things have happened over there, but bad things are happening here. I never felt unsafe anywhere over there. I'm so glad that we went and I will treasure the memories we made.

We have enjoyed the trip and I hope you have enjoyed this trip report. Until next time...Au Revoir

Our group

Pat, Larry, Linda, Jerry, we arrived safely in Atlanta, awaiting connecting flights.

Last picture in Paris. Larry took this shot from our boat when we arrived at our final dock.

Conflans, Paris, Day 7, 09-15-2016

Things are winding down on this trip. We have seen a lot, done a lot, ate a lot, made new friends, walked through history, and had a great time. Today is our final touring day. Chateau de Maimaison awaits us. Napoleon Bonaparte married Josephine in 1796. Josephine bought the manor in 1797 while Napoleon was away fighting the Egyptian Campaign. The house cost a fortune to purchase and a fortune for renovations, Josephine was just thinking of her husband. She just wanted a nice place for him to live in when he would take a break from fighting the Napoleonic Wars. How nice. Later on, when they divorced, she got the house. Things have not changed much today. Napoleon had to find another castle to live in. Josephine lived there until her death in 1814. After her death and his defeat at Battle of Waterloo (1815), Napoleon took residence there before his exile to the island of Saint Helena. A very nice place, by any standard, but I thought the bedrooms were rather small. After our tour was complete we returned to the AmaLegro and had another dinner together, said our good byes, and made preparations to disembark early the next day and go home.

Sandy & Captain Grard

Josephine got this house in her divorce settlement

Josephine's ex-husband

Follow me

Empress Josephine

Napoleon

Pam,Roy,Sandy, John

Sandy, John

Larry, Pat

Jerry & Linda

Did you know they had the Statue of Liberty on the River Seine?

Roy & Pam

Manny and Sue

Les Andelys, Day 6, 09-14-2016

After a leisurely morning cruise through several locks, we arrived in Les Andelys. This village was developed during the construction of Gaillard Castle under Richard the Lionheart. Construction began in 1197 and was completed in 1198. Over 6,000 workers and craftsmen worked tirelessly to achieve such a feat. The construction crews were not slave labor, but received a wage for their work. Our visit took us on the footsteps of King Richard. Richard spent a huge amount of the taxpayers money on this castle. The fortress was meant to impress King Philip Augustus of France and prevent him from invading Normandy. King Richard saw his castle completed, but died a year later when he attacked the castle Chalus, near Limoges. He was wounded in the shoulder by a crossbow and died 13 days later. Three years later, King Augustus launched the French conquest of Normandy. After a 7 month blockade, Castle Gaillard was stormed and taken.
Those of you who may not be all that familiar with King Richard, think back to your early years when Robin Hood was on T.V. Robin Hood, Little John, Maid Marian, Friar Tuck, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Sherwood Forest and King Richard.
A pleasant day, followed by another great meal, with music and dancing in the lounge with our Captain leading the way.

King Richard's House

Manny, Sue, Pat, Larry,Linda

Manny, Sue (I think the walking stick was just for visual effect)

Hiking up to the castle

John made it to the top

Entering the lock

Tight squeeze

Les Andelys

Larry, Pat

Blanchard, first aviator

view from castle

Sue, Larry

Pat

Les Andelys

view from river

Who's driving the boat?

Rouen, Day 5, 09-13-2016

Normandy derives its name from the Vikings (Northmen) who settled this area from the 9th century, onward. Throughout the 100 years war, the control of Normandy seesawed back and forth between French and English rule. Normandy was also a Protestant stronghold and was the scene of much fighting between the Catholics and the Hugenots in the 16th century. Today it is firmly in the hands of the French.
On our tour today we will enjoy Rouen, the historical capital of Normandy. We will visit the square where Joan de Arc was martyred and learn about her life. A walk through the streets of Rouen is a walk through history. Rouen was founded on the site of the Roman settlement of Rotomagus and has had a turbulent history. The city was heavily damaged (approximately 45% destruction) during WWII, but in the last 65 years has been largely restored.
Rouen is also the site of a recent terror attack on July 26, 2016, when ISIS militants stormed a local church, during morning mass. They murdered the priest in front of the congregation. The terrorists were shot and killed by the authorities. This was the city in which Joan d'Arc, the 19 year old peasant girl, who rose to command the French army, was tried by the British and burned at the stake. This occurred in 1431. She has become an enduring symbol of French unity and nationalism.
Another site in Rouen is the Aitre St. Maclou. During the Black Death in 1348, 3/4 of the population died. This area was used a ossuary or cemetery. The Cathedral of Notre Dame is located here. While not the oldest , it has the tallest spire in France. Church construction began in 1200 and was largely complete in early 1600.

Cathedral of Notre Dame

Aitre Ste Maclou, site of Black Death cemetery

Gros Horloge, 1389

Great Clock, today

Ste Joan d'Arc

King Richard, the Lionheart's heart

a lawyer at the Palais of Justice

Streets of Rouen

Location of Joan d'Arc execution

more street scene

Rouen street

symbol at Black Death cemetery

Normandy, Day 4, 09-12-2016

The AmaAlegro stayed at anchorage overnight in Caudebec in order to give the on board travelers an opportunity to spend a full day touring. Pam, Roy, Sandy, John, Pat and Larry toured the D-Day beach at Omaha, the U.S. Cemetery and Arromanches. Sue, Manny, Linda and I toured the countryside and villages of Pays D'Auge.

June 6, 1944 is a day certainly ingrained in the memory of our parents. Many of our fathers and mothers took an active part in the U.S. efforts in WWII. Omaha Beach was the focal point of what was to become the largest amphibious invasion in world history. The Battle of Normandy lasted 76 days. Allied losses were 210,000 casualties including 37,000 KIA. German casualties were estimated at 200,000 with another 200,000 taken prisoner. As a side note, many of these German prisoners ended up in Aliceville, Alabama. A POW camp was constructed in west Alabama that housed over 6,000 Germans. While touring the cemetery, Larry was selected to assist in a wreath laying ceremony at the memorial. Quite an honor. I wish I had been with him. Our uncle, A.J.Davis fought with the U.S. Army in Europe, until he was wounded in Germany and med-e-vaced out of the combat zone. D-Day is where history, as you know it, becomes very real. I would urge anyone traveling to France to make a point to go to Normandy.

Our tour took us into Calvados country. Calvados is a pear and apple based brandy from the Normandy region. With a history dating back nearly 500 years, it holds a dear place in the hearts of many spirit lovers. Pays D'Auge is a unique landscape of orchards, half timbered houses, horse farms, and cheeses. This area offers you a gentle way of life along with some of the most picturesque villages in western France.
At the end of the day, we returned to our ship and set sail for an overnight trip to Rouen.