Azamara Quest - Mediterranean Cities, October 28-November 4 2021

[Bimmer09]

14 minutes ago, vagporto said:

Aren't you aware of the current chaos in the auto industry? Perfect storm combination of sudden demand for new cars and worldwide shortage in all kinds of chips, aluminium, man power, etc... Wait time for new builds is now close to 6 months, but some car makers only guarantee delivery in 2023... BMWs are coming without power seats (no parts) and many bmw produced in november are coming without touchscreen (which is standard... Not an optional - you have a large 19 inch screen that should be tactile, but that is voice or knob operated...). And no hifi sound... And no special lights... And no lumbar adjustment... Seriously: when I placed my order (last week of september) the dealer went through the excel sheet that he received in the morning that listed all components that cannot be ordered anymore. He receives a new excel file every monday morning. 

Oh yes I am aware of the chip shortage. I see Ford has just found a new supplier which of course doesn't help BMW. I think I would wait until they can make the cars they are tempting you with. I'm driving an 8 year old and an 18 year old. I ordered my 18 year old with manual seats to save weight and complexity.  I set them once in Munich.The modern BMWs are very electrics dependent.

The demand for new cars is I imagine partly skewed by demand from rental companies who sold off fleets that weren't in use for a year just to help pay the rent. Now demand is back. And of course Covid lockdowns in the Far East where many chips and car parts are produced was a deadly blow to production.

Good luck with the wait!

Norris

Edited November 18, 2021 by Bimmer09
grammar

[Bimmer09]

Walking back down to the Palais des Papes....

 

 

There were several black and white photos from French movies? along the path

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2021 by Bimmer09
spacing

[Bimmer09]

 

I popped into a touristy shop to do our shopping....

 

and admired some other shops as we walked back to the coach

 

 

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

 

By 12.45 we are all back on the coach, accounted for and joining the traffic on our way to the village of Chateauneuf du Pape

Bus photo

[CRLess]

7 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

ON A CLEAR DAY, RISE AND LOOK AROUND YOU...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow...you're showing your age...The Peddlers (I had to google that one)

 

[donswife]

Norris, are you retired now? I have not seen any mention of pausing because you have to go to work! Nor have you mentioned Snowy.

[SOLIVITA LADY]

Norris, it’s great to see you cruising and read your Journal. I’ve a cruise planned from Venice to the Greek Isles with a 2 night stay in Venice. You pre-cruise info was very helpful but makes me nervous as my travel companion doesn’t have a decent cellphone and I see a lot of pre-cruise info needs to be done that way for the airlines and Covid testing. I do have an iPhone which works well overseas but don’t know if I can use that for her. 
Looking forward to reading the rest of your review. 
 

Jackie

[Bimmer09]

9 hours ago, donswife said:

Norris, are you retired now? I have not seen any mention of pausing because you have to go to work! Nor have you mentioned Snowy.

Yes, I have time on my hands. 

My last day at work was March 6 2020. Chicago went into lockdown on March 13.

Snowy the cat sadly left us on October 7th before our cruise. She was 18 years old and it was her time.

 

As we were going to be away in Europe for two weeks we waited until we got home on November 7 before getting more cats. We found two on line at a shelter over in Indiana where we have got 4 previous cats (all gone) including Snowy. We found two strays who had been found living on a golf course. We picked them up last Friday, November 12. They went from a 4 ft long cage with no toys to what I can only describe as Disneyworld for cats. Carol wears them out by playing with them. I do the feeding and they like their 10 square meals a day (LOL).

 

They are Rodolfo(3 years old)

 

and Mimi (1 year old)

 

 

[CruiserRob]

4 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

they like their 10 square meals a day

They must feel like they're on a cruise 😁

[Bimmer09]

2 hours ago, SOLIVITA LADY said:

Norris, it’s great to see you cruising and read your Journal. I’ve a cruise planned from Venice to the Greek Isles with a 2 night stay in Venice. You pre-cruise info was very helpful but makes me nervous as my travel companion doesn’t have a decent cellphone and I see a lot of pre-cruise info needs to be done that way for the airlines and Covid testing. I do have an iPhone which works well overseas but don’t know if I can use that for her. 
Looking forward to reading the rest of your review. 
 

Jackie

 Jackie! So good that you've found me here. Welcome!

Yes the cell phones came in handy for the QR codes we needed but we also had them on paper. Same for the Passenger Locator Forms which were ignored. We had the Covid test results on paper (4 of those in our case). Only United airlines told us up front what we needed to be allowed onto their planes. At Barcelona Aer Lingus sprang an unexpected requirement on us and we had to get out of  line and go sit down and use our phones to comply. I think it was a PLF for Dublin.

When is your cruise? Which ship? Its unlikely to leave from Venice but a couple of days there will be fantastic. 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

10 hours ago, CRLess said:

Wow...you're showing your age...The Peddlers (I had to google that one)

 

From the 1965 musical On a Clear Day. Also sung by Barbra Streisand and a boatload of others.

Same year as Desolation Row.

Norris

[CruiserRob]

17 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

From the 1965 musical On a Clear Day. Also sung by Barbra Streisand and a boatload of others.

Same year as Desolation Row.

Norris

OK I'll admit that I didn't recognize the lyric at all, until you mentioned Barbra Streisand.

[Bimmer09]

On the bus to Chateauneuf du Pape

 

Rhone river

 

Letter R knocked over

 

 

The terroir-vines are grown in stony ground. The rocks retain heat from the sun at night and the vines like the longer day as a result.

 

 

 

 

We are in Chateauneuf du Pape by now

 

[mchell810]

Looks like you had a lovely morning in Avignon.  The new cats look like they have found a palace of their own! 

[CruzinNoony]

So sorry to hear about Snowy, but congratulations on your two new members of your family.  They look like they have totally settled in.

[Bimmer09]

ANOTHER WINE TASTING? COUNT ME IN!

 

The building

 

the gift shop

 

some gifts

 

 

 

 

This may have been arranged at short notice as there was only one employee present. There would be no food pairings such as the elaborate offerings in San Gimignano. We waited and browsed in the gift shop while our hostess did the pours in the tasting room. We learned that there is a population of 2,000 citizens in Chateauneuf du Pape and 300 wineries!

[TeaBag]

Wow, what lucky cats.  If they could only talk........................

[SOLIVITA LADY]

5 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

 Jackie! So good that you've found me here. Welcome!

Yes the cell phones came in handy for the QR codes we needed but we also had them on paper. Same for the Passenger Locator Forms which were ignored. We had the Covid test results on paper (4 of those in our case). Only United airlines told us up front what we needed to be allowed onto their planes. At Barcelona Aer Lingus sprang an unexpected requirement on us and we had to get out of  line and go sit down and use our phones to comply. I think it was a PLF for Dublin.

When is your cruise? Which ship? Its unlikely to leave from Venice but a couple of days there will be fantastic. 

Norris

Norris my cruise is in May 2022 on the NCL Gem from Venice. I guess I’ll have to do everything on my phone for both of us. Itinerary hasn’t changed but I think you might be right and our departure port will change. Have final payment in December and thinking about canceling. 

[Bimmer09]

TASTING

THE ROOM

 

THE POURS

 

THE PASSIONATE MANAGER

 

THE GRAPES USED

 

THE REGION-THE AREA TO THE NORTH IS WHERE COTES DU RHONE GROWS

 

This lady spoke great English and was bouncing with enthusiasm for her product. They've been in business since 1898. The vines like the rocky soil as I said and also like the Mistral wind blowing through them. All the grapes are picked by hand. They don't produce a Rose and only 1% of production is White wine which they don't export. The Reds were smooth as Tennessee Whisky...The Grenache is the foundation grape for their blends, some hold as much as 90% of it. I didn't realize there was as much blending as their appears. A wine novice (except for drinking with dinner) I thought it was one grape. Far from it apparently. I would call the wines reasonably priced and beyond anything served as complimentary on the ship. Understandable.

 

We were already experts with our nose-could probably have found truffles in the forest. We could check the color, aerate it, introduce it to the mouth for approval and none of us had a problem drinking it! 

 

One of the sommeliers from the ship had tagged along-Yonela by name.The man pictured in the Oct 31 Insider. Nice guy.

 

Sales would begin after the presentation and as I wasn't buying any I would have time to take a few more pics. 

Edited November 19, 2021 by Bimmer09
spelling

[Bimmer09]

 

The giant casks are no longer in use but serve as historical reminders. I did lay on my back and turn the spigot but nothing came out.

 

The Founder (check out the stony terroir)

 

Stunning location

 

 

What a nice day this has been

 

Back to the coach with Camille and Crystal

 

Next- the scenic drive back to Marseille and the Quest

[mchell810]

Glad you enjoyed the tasting.  It looks like you had a nice day out. 🍷

[Walt fan]

Oh goodness my heart hurt when you posted about Snowy; but 18 years old, what a good life. I cannot seem to get a cat to live past 12. My Charlie died unexpectedly in January, 12 years old. Prior cats lived to about 12, including my Meemee. But, you now have beautiful Rodolfo and Mimi. So happy to hear about your beautiful adoptees. Living the life with you and Carol. My motto, adopt don't shop.

 

Your time in Avignon, I would love a full day of strolling around. What a beautiful place.  Your pics bring everything to life.

 

Congrats on the retirement!

[L11]

Hi Norris. Thanks ever so much for posting on the Princess board that you were posting this GSJ here. 

 

This is the first time I have actually caught one of your reviews in progress. I am not quite certain how it came about, but I ran across your reviews during the worst of the Covid times and have read just about all of them. You helped get me through cruise withdrawal for which I extend my everlasting gratitude. You are awesome in terms of both your narrative and pictures! I would love to cruise with you sometime. You and my husband could exchange stories - he was/is a drummer also. 

 

Anyway, carry on with your journal. I will follow along. By the way, if I read you correctly, you retired in 3/2020. If so, congratulations! I retired 10/2020 and am loving every minute of it. Pet the new kitties for me. Condolences on the loss of Snowy. Best wishes to Carol. I am kind of bummed that you may not be cruising for a while after this but understand that Bayreuth and Wagner take priority.

 

Linda

 

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Thank you for this wonderful review.  Loving it but also realising a cruise ship excursion misses so much.  We have done a pre Star Clippers cruise land trip staying in St Remy for 3 nights, visiting fantastic villages including L'isle sur-la-Sorgue (your sign from the bus reminded me) with its wonderful antique market, Les Baux - medieval castle, great village, and best of all Carriers de Lumieres - a huge quarry - showing projected art on its massive walls and ceilings.  Also to the Camargue region and the wonderful Aigues Mort castle.  Then on to stay in St Paul de Vence - again a wonderful region.  

After an Azamara cruise we again stayed in St Paul.  Hiring a car is easy and relatively cheap.  Our list visit before coming home was to the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild on Cap Ferrat.  A lesson in what enormous wealth can do.    Whilst exploring the many different styles of gardens my husband managed to fall from the top of the exotic one to the bottom.  Garden consisted mainly of very spiky cacti - think Wile E Coyote cartoon- and we spent a happy half hour removing spikes from various parts of his anatomy.

Also loving the photos of Avignon etc -  we are back in that region on a Scenic river cruise next July hopefully.  The opportunities to just walk off a river cruise boat into town will be great and one of the evening excursions is a concert in the Palais des Papes.

Just like to add that the Port of Call section of CC is fantastic.  There is a guy called Hlitner who knows everything about France and his recommendations are detailed and easy to follow.

Sometimes I wonder why the Port of Call section is not used more often by those who are unfamiliar with the region they are visiting.  A little time spent there could answer so many questions.

Thank you again - as your memories have encouraged me to think  again about my many wonderful trips.

Aren't we lucky.

[Bimmer09]

We are leaving the  wine country

There's an old castle up on that ridge-how high a ridge I could not tell

 

 

We reach the motorway to Marseille

 

 

and pass through the biggest turnpike I have ever seen-25 lanes!