AEGEAN ODYSSEY 17th June 2018 Part 2

Bordeaux and St. Emilion

Monday 18th June 2018
Early breakfast at 7 a.m. was served on the 7th floor of the hotel, and the terrace around two of the sides of the large room ensured wonderful views over part of the city. When I went outside though I discovered it was drizzling with rain so my photographs were rather hazier than I would have liked, but at least I could see the lifting bridge in the distance. The central roadway of that was already up to allow a Tall Ship to leave the quay here in the Bordeaux city, with the tide as low as it could be.

Plan of Bordeaux

Breakfast plate with coffee mug

Rooftops

Falling tide and towers

Bridge up and ready


We have to meet our guide in the hotel foyer at 8 a.m. ready to leave on our included excursion to the Saint Emilion vineyards by coach.

We crossed the road to the waiting coach when suddenly the familiar sound of three loud ship whistles was heard! The Russian Tall Ship had cast off her mooring ropes and was edging out into the River Garonne and soon after I think every craft within earshot answered her whistles with more greetings of farewell - it was a unexpectedly wonderful moment.

Russian ship ready to leave


We also left the quayside and the coach had to join the traffic hold ups around this part of the city, caused by the closure of the lifting bridge.

The Tall Ship going under the Bridge (our Guide Caroline's picture)

The Bridge starting to be lowered, seen from the coach in the drizzle

Saint Emilion

From a brochure


We were eventually on our way to the village of Saint Emilion, and parked at the top of the steep village road; this was not immediately obvious because the land and vineyards dropped away down the side of the hill. Our guide took us into the main village street, where the cobbles were wet with the still falling rain. We visited a church and the cloisters, and then decided it was time for coffee in a small bar with a view.

Nice looking shop

Nearby

I liked this window box

Cloisters

Map in the cloisters

The Church

The coffee table in the Bar


We all met up again at the entrance to the vineyard office of Chateau Villemaurine and were taken straight up some steps and into the entrance of a vineyard. It was still raining slightly so this was a hurried visit but we could see rows and rows of young grapes ripening on the plants. Some rows had a red rose bush planted at one end, and this was because if the rose bush showed any signs of mildew starting, then the vines could be sprayed to deter the mildew spreading to them.

Roses and grapes



We were then taken down into the area where huge vats of grapes were starting to ferment, ready to be crushed at a later stage, and stored in barrels. Down two flights of stone steps we then entered the lower tunnels to see where the bare rock had been hewn out by men with pickaxes in previous times, for more storage. One floor up again and we could see the 2017 vintage in barrels waiting to mature, and were told that the 2016 wine was now being bottled and for sale.

Vats

Barrels

Wine barrels

Tunnels under the vines

Hand-hewn tunnels


The next pleasure was the wine tasting in a comfortable room with views out over the vineyards - purchases could also be made.

Wine tasting

One of the souvenir postcards I bought in the shop


We had to leave this fascinating place at last and rejoin our coach in its parking space at the top of the medieval village of Saint Emilion. At last we knew were about to be on our way to the ship!

Because of all the activities in the city of Bordeaux for the last few days, the AEGEAN ODYSSEY had to be berthed at the Bordeaux-Bassens Cruise Terminal which was about 5 miles downriver, nearer the sea. We drove through the rain and finally reached an industrial area and we could see part of the ship. The coach drew up very near the gangway, a member of staff came on to greet us, he took our passports away, and we all had to sign the official health form. Finally we were allowed off the coach and could walk up the gangway to board the ship - I'm nearly there.

To be continued...

AEGEAN ODYSSEY 17th June 2018

Way back in 1973, a shipyard in Romania built a ro-ro cargo ship for Zim Israel Navigation of Haifa that was named NARCIS. In 1985 she was acquired by Dolphin Hellas Shipping and was renamed ALKYON. (I am reliably informed that this translates as 'seagull'.) She was refitted at Perama in Greece and in 1988 was back with Dolphin Hellas and renamed AEGEAN DOLPHIN. In 1989 she was renamed DOLPHIN , and then in 1990 she was again named AEGEAN DOLPHIN. In 1991 she was renamed AEGEAN 1 for one cruise with Discovery Cruises, was then chartered for Renaissance Cruises, and in 1998 she commenced cruising for Golden Star Ferries. Still with me? We're nearly up to date.

William Mayes' "Cruise Ships Fourth Edition" also tells me that following a dispute with Louis Cruise Lines, the ship was then laid up in 2006. In 2008 she was acquired by Gerry Herrod and given a major refurbishment in Greece before entering service as the AEGEAN ODYSSEY. She sails for Voyages to Antiquity.

I have wanted to sail on this little ship for some time, but she usually offers a minimum of fourteen- night trips; these are usually from ports outside the UK. Earlier this year though I noticed that she was offering a six-night holiday which would include five nights on the ship. I booked with Voyages to Antiquity for the holiday and then had to be patient. I would join the ship in Bordeaux, France, have a couple of included excursions, and then embark on AEGEAN ODYSSSEY the next day. All went to plan, and was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Sunday 17th June 2018
My alarm woke me early and at 6.15 a.m. I was checking in my small suitcase with an airline bag drop machine at London Gatwick airport. The holiday had started, with an included flight from Gatwick to Bordeaux in France. I am so used to booking my own flights to join ferries or cruise ships with just a rucksack, that it was quite a novelty to receive a flight ticket, which included a suitcase to go in the hold. I realise I had paid for it as part of the holiday cost, but still...

I had time for breakfast with a friend who was joining the cruise and soon it was time to head for the boarding gate and the flight. It seems that the French air traffic controllers are on strike today and many flights from Gatwick have had to be cancelled. We were lucky. The flight eventually left at 8.45 and we flew south over the English Channel, with just a few ships to be seen before the cloud cover became dense below us.



Bordeaux on the map

We landed in Bordeaux, put our watches forward one hour, and were greeted by our Guide Caroline. A coach took us to a city centre hotel very near the River Garonne to check in for the night, unpack and get lunch before meeting for an afternoon tour. The central city area is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. This week 14th/18th June, the city was celebrating the Bordeaux Wine Festival, devoted to wines from Bordeaux and the Nouvelle Aquitaine region; the Tall Ships were in port as guests of honour, and the sun was shining down on probably thousands of people enjoying the festivities on this Left Bank, with many opportunities for wine tasting.

Sails amongst the wine tasting on the riverside

River craft along the Left Bank

Belem, a 3 masted French barque, launched in 1896,and one of the Tall Ships


In the far distance downstream we could see the famous Jacques Chaban-Delmas Bridge, opened in March 2013, whose middle span can be raised when necessary to allow tall vessels to enter or leave the Bordeaux city centre riverside here on the River Garonne.

Jacques Chaban-Delmas Bridge, Bordeaux


Our tour took us over the famous bridge to the Right Bank where we could look across the river at the tall ships and the city skyline, and then back over an ancient bridge to the Left Bank of the city.

On the Right Bank

View across the river

View from the coach as we crossed an old bridge


The coach then dropped us off for a walk to the cathedral.

City Gate

Royal Entrance to the Cathedral

Brass Plate nearby

Cathedral


There was a Service taking place to celebrate the appointment of new Deacons so we were not allowed far inside, but it was a beautiful building with good acoustics inside. The bell tower was a separate building, and we enjoyed walking around the whole public area.

I was amazed to spot this glass door handle - a familiar sight with their jewel colours, on so many old ferries

The shop - Dead Sea Salt Beauty Salon


Other group passengers wanted to return to the hotel but a few of us chose to stay in the city near the Opera House for an hour's break and would be collected later on; we could then sit outside a cafe and enjoy a drink in this delightful city square.

Back at the hotel we changed and walked along the quayside to Le Brasserie Bordelais restaurant for an excellent dinner. Tomorrow morning we have a rather special tour to the wine village of St. Emilion before being taken to the good ship AEGEAN ODYSSEY to embark for our trip.


Ships seen: many of the Tall Ships and other vessels in port for the Regatta, including Belem, and a Russian Tall Ship that I think I visited with other OLS (Ocean Liner Society) members way back in June 2004 in Liverpool, for a maritime festival.

To be continued...