PARIS, BURGUNDY & PROVENCE RIVER CRUISE

On September 16, 2008, a group of 26 set out on what was one of the most enjoyable RWB
tours imaginable. The trip began with a three day stay in the beautiful city of Paris. The Hotel Regina was very conveniently located near the Louvre Museum, with excellent views encompassing the Jardin des Tuileries and the more distant Eiffel tower. A daytime tour of the city was helpful for first-time visitors, and those in need of a refresher course on the city. Most of the principal tourist sites were within easy walking or public transit distance from the hotel, and group members were free to fit in as many of the delights, and as much of the ambience of the great city in the time allowed.

On the fourth day, the group travelled by train to Lyon, to board the Princesse de Provence, a river cruise vessel accommodating 140 passengers. Our seven day cruise took us north on the Saone River to Chalon-Sur-Saone, then south to Avignon and Arles via Lyon and the Rhone River, and, finally, north again for disembarkation in Lyon.

The cruise proved to be an unqualified delight. Six sight-seeing tours were included in the tour package. An advantage of river cruising proved to be the ship’s ability to stop right in the center of most of the ports-of-call (like sailing down the Red or Assiniboine Rivers to the Forks in central Winnipeg). So, a typical day might start with a city tour in the morning, followed by lunch on the ship, and then free time to wander at will. An elegant meal was served each evening, with excellent French style cuisine and service. Both the lounge and the dining room were large enough to accommodate all the passengers at one sitting.

There were many highlights in this voyage of discovery. The ship itself was very comfortable.  The passing scene was always interesting because of the close proximity to shore along the rivers. The ship just managed to squeeze into the many river locks along the way. A Beaujolais Wine Country Tour allowed a sampling of some of the regions finest wines. History enthusiasts enjoyed visiting the ancient cities and towns along the way. The beauty of the passing scene clearly revealed why southern France has always been a top tourist attraction.

Peter and Geri Spencer hosted this Fall 2008 fundraising cruise.

BLACK SEA, EGYPT & HOLY LANDS CRUISE

On September 29, 2008 my wife Linda and I embarked on a trip that will stay with us forever.  We had arrived in Europe a few days earlier and after spending time in Munich and the Greek island of Mykonos, we joined our group and hosts Peter and Geri Spencer on the latest RWB fundraising trip – a Black Sea, Egypt & Holy Lands cruise. Our home for the next 12 days was Holland America’s M.S. Rotterdam which provided all the creature comforts one looks for when abroad.

Our hosts, Peter and Geri Spencer are true Winnipeggers-friendly, matter of fact and eager to help out if anyone had questions or concerns. Our group of nineteen met for dinner each night in the opulent dining room of the ship and we entertained each other with stories about our adventures each day.

We visited an amazing array of locations that started with Istanbul. A city of 14 million people and the crossroads of Europe and Asia, it is a fascinating city that dazzles the senses. Everywhere one looks there are colourful carpets for sale, swirling mosque minarets and lush treed hillsides. Our tour stopped at the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the St. Sophia Museum. Lunch overlooked the Bosphorus and the incredible activity of boats and ships passing by. Truly a global city, Istanbul is a place we would love to return to again.

Next stop was Varna, Bulgaria an ancient city founded by the Romans on the Black Sea coast. This was the site of former RWB dancer Evelyn Hart's gold medal triumph in 1980 for Belong Pas de Deux, danced with David Peregrine. The ruins of the Roman baths evoked images from over one thousand years ago but the city today is bustling and alive with commerce and culture.

Odessa, Ukraine came next and it is a city under construction as older buildings are being renovated, roads reconstructed and a general sense of optimism pervades. Odessa is a literary mecca and the one time home of many writers including Pushkin and Gogol and in numerous cafes one can witness political discourse on the world events of the day. The city's most famous landmark, the Potemkin Stairs, are visible from the port itself and necessitates quite an effort to climb.

Our next port of call was Constanta, Romania. This is the second largest city in the country and its chief port. Here the Soviet influence was still palpable with the typical 1960’s and 1970's drab apartment blocks looming over heritage buildings that have seen better days. Constanta has some nice parks and a so-called casino building that is actually a restaurant but of all our visits it was the place that needs the most sprucing up.

It was now on to Haifa, Israel after two days at sea during which I took full advantage of the ship's spa and gym. (I am quite proud of the fact that I visited the gym four times during our trip-this makes up for me eating like a king every day!) We visited Jerusalem after a three hour drive southeast of Haifa. It was extremely interesting to travel through this small country and witness its various transformations. We passed numerous cities, fruit orchards, farms and thick pine forests all of which was barren desert at one time. Our visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Wailing Wall and the Mount of Olives was also moving as whatever one's beliefs are, the historical significance of this city to humanity cannot be over estimated as it relates to the origins of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

 We then sailed overnight to the charming island of Cyprus. The coastal city of Limassol is booming with new homes under construction, a gorgeous waterfront that looks very similar to a French Riviera locale and lush palm trees lining the streets. We visited the old city centre and its church as well as numerous shops selling leather goods, clothing and antiques.
 
Next stop was Alexandria, Egypt a cosmopolitan city of 5 million inhabitants on the Mediterranean.

 Some of our group chose to stay in Alexandria and to see its architecturally stunning library and lively waterfront. Linda and I travelled by bus three hours south to Cairo. It takes close to an hour to depart Alexandria with its sprawling reach southward. Countless factories, apartment buildings and oil refineries finally give way to date palm plantations and the desert. Driving in Egypt is also an experience as lanes are optional, blaring of horns is seemingly mandatory and one will see traffic unlike anything we have in Canada. Needless to say, the pyramids and the Sphinx leave one wondering how it is all possible and also makes one realize that with all of our technology today we still are not 100% sure how this feat was achieved. One statistic that stays with me is that there are 2.3 million blocks in the Great Pyramids-truly mind boggling when one considers they are thousands of years old.

Obviously there is too much to go into for this short article but one thought that I am left with is a quotation from Ralph Crawshaw I came across while on the trip:

"Travel has a way of stretching the mind. The stretch comes not from travel's immediate rewards, the inevitable myriad new sights, smells and sounds, but with experiencing firsthand how others do differently what we believed to be the right and only way."

Thank you to Peter and Geri and everyone at CarlsonWagonlit Travel for organizing such a wonderful holiday.


James E. Cohen
Director, RWB Board

TO THE GREAT WALL AND BEYOND

Our group of 29 arrived in Beijing on September 29th. The next three days were spent touring in and around that enormous city – first to Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City, which have been greatly beautified in anticipation of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Many admiring, perhaps envious, glances were directed towards one of our group who was travelling on a three-wheel scooter; considerable improvements have been made for wheelchair access throughout the city. Another highlight was our visit to the Great Wall of China. Most of the group climbed up close to the top command post as shown in the photograph.

On October 2nd, we boarded the Sapphire Princess along with 600 Canadians and 2000 other passengers. This magnificent ship became our luxurious floating hotel for the next 17 days. We learned that the Singapore Slings on board were better than at Raffles hotel in Singapore.

Memorable and moving visits were made to Nagasaki and Okinawa, both destroyed in World War II. Nagasaki has risen from the ashes of the Atomic Bomb and is a beautiful welcoming city. A large high school band, with extremely enthusiastic young people, gave us a rousing send-off from the pier. Okinawa has a beautiful seaside park commemorating, on marble tablets, in Japanese and English, the names of all those killed during the war.

Our route continued to Shanghai, another giant of a city, with a population of over 20 million and with growing traffic problems. We also visited Taiwan, the other China, and Hong Kong. Hong Kong is still the vibrant city I remembered from a previous RWB fundraising tour 19 years ago. We were impressed with the cleanliness of Chinese and Japanese cities and with the welcoming politeness of the people we met.

Vietnam is still slowly recovering from the ravages of war. We had a chance to visit Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang and Vung Tau. In Nha Trang, we had a special treat when we visited a kindergarten class and watched the beautiful children perform their action songs for us. We were impressed with the countryside and the hard working people performing tasks by hand.

Singapore was our next stop. Early in the trip, we realized we were going to see contrast and variety. From the simplicity of life in rural Vietnam, we were flying into the sophistication and bustle of Singapore, a clean, orderly and well-run city. Its subway system could make someone from Winnipeg covetous. Oh for a windless area for users of public transit, or even train!

In Bangkok, we left the ship, which had begun to feel like home and entered a city of shining temples and palaces, canopied streets with sellers of food unlike we have ever seen, rivers and canals with long tailed boats – once again a city of contrasts from rich to very poor with everything in between.

In summary, a wonderful trip, great itinerary, great people and unforgettable memories!

Peter & Geri Spencer hosted the latest RWB fundraising trip to Southeast Asia.

AMAZON ADVENTURE

Peter & Geri Spencer share highlights of their latest adventure on a RWB fundraising trip

Our RWB cruise began on January 28th at Manaus, Brazil, 1000 miles inland on the Amazon River. That evening a local folkloric group came aboard and gave an excellent introduction to the music and dance of the country. Like Winnipeg, the heyday of Manaus was between 1890 and 1910, when rubber was a valued commodity worldwide. During this time, a beautiful opera house was constructed in the fledgling city using material imported from Europe. Many of our group also enjoyed travelling by small boat along tributaries near the confluence of the clear Rio Negro and the muddy Amazon. We were welcomed mainly by children in small canoes, many of whom had an animal to show (sloth, caiman and anaconda).

Our next port of call was Boca Da Valeria, a tiny village occupied by 75 people (400 on cruise ship days). Again we were treated with smiles and were allowed to wander through the village, walk into the buildings and homes, and, for one dollar, take photographs of people in traditional garb. Next was Santarem, a large town 500 miles inland. Here we took an ecological hike through the jungle and past some small farms in an area of deforestation. Our walk was usually dry considering this was supposed to be the rainy season – great weather for tourists, however, and not too hot.
Following a day at sea, we arrived at Devil’s Island off the coast of French Guiana. This was a fascinating place to explore, with its decaying remnants of the convict settlement, 1852 – 1953. Some 80,000 prisoners including Henry Charriere, or “Papillion”, were sent there, with few ever returning.

The balance of the cruise took us to Eastern Caribbean Islands: Trinidad, Grenada, St. Vincent, Dominica, St. Kitts and Puerto Rico. These were all places of incredible beauty and historical interest. We toured spice plantations, botanic gardens, beaches, forests, colourful towns and cities and impressive fortresses. In addition to the original inhabitants, their history includes stories of European settlement, slave routes and colonial battles mainly including the Spanish, French and English.

Our cruise ship the “Regal Princess” had all the usual shipboard amenities; so there was something for everyone – a truly memorable journey!

Peter and Geri Spencer are long time supporters of the RWB and have been hosting RWB fundraising cruises with Carlson Wagonlit Travel since 2004.

The RWB, Carlson Wagonlit Travel and Peter & Geri Spencer invite you to join us on our next fundraising cruise September 30 – October 18, 2007 to Southeast Asia & China aboard the Sapphire Princess.