June 11, 2015 in Rouen

We landed last night at Rouen and docked next to another ship so we have to "climb over it to get to the walkway at the port.  We were so tired from our big trip yesterday that we stayed home from the optional trip and had an adventure on our own today. 

In the morning a local guide met us to take us around Rouen.  This is the capital of northern Normandy which the president has decided must merge next year with lower  Normandy.  The problem of that is Rouen is the capital of lower Normandy and Caen is the capital of upper Normandy and there is a big controversy on who will win to be the new Capitol of both. 

Michael was told that this city has 33 churches and  about 13 Abby's . True, they are now owned by the government, as nobody could do the big remodeling of them.. but the congregation are responsible for the upkeep and little things.  Some have been turned into Museums. All the churches are quite amazing with great stories that bring in lots of tourism, and the people don't Mind taxes for them as it keeps their culture intact. 

The first one we saw was bombed several times in the war... maybe even by the allies not hitting their planned targets.  The government could see that the war was coming and warned the churches to prepare.  The first one we saw started in the 13th century and was not completed until the 16th.  They were all told to remove the stained glass windows the year before the war, but that was such a big job that several were not able to remove them all in time and most of those were destroyed. They were replaced by plain glass as there was no one who could make those beautiful windows, or it would have taken too much money and time. One rose window on the other hand had all the glass saved but the stucco form to hold the glass was blown to pieces.  They took the  glass and somebody  made the new stucco to put the glass back in. 

I remembered the urinating or masturbating guys on the last church we saw and as we rounded the corner I saw that the corner of the building from the 1300's had a fountain... and what a surprise when three saints or angels or whatever were peeing in that fountain... actually part of that church!   Now that is definitely something  I've NEVER seen on a church before.  Oh those French!!!  The big surprise is THAT is the church that Monet painted so many times with different shades with the light.  He never painted that corner, however.  He painted straight on, from the window of an underwear store and another place further to the left.. painting the front and the opposite corner.  I love those paintings but will never see them the same! 

Our next stop was the new church honoring  Joan of Arc.  She was condemned in the first vouch and imprisoned.  Since they could not find that she had done anything illegal as such, except wear men's clothing, they made her promise never to do that again.  She promised but they still kept her in prison.  Some guards had been in her cell all that night and they expect they may have done something bad to her or forced her to dress again as a man and the next morning they could try her as a heretic. For that the French had her tortured, burned and thrown in the river so she would not be martyred. That was so WEIRD as the English thought she should not be killed and the French who she fought for wanted her dead.  After four years they reversed their decision (kinda late for poor Joan) and many years later they made her a Saint! 

There was another church that was completely destroyed except the windows had been hidden away.  The congregation could not rebuild this. The government built a really modern one with lines like an upturned bow of a boat...I'll send the pictures later. Then they put these 13th century stained glass windows in it.  Surprisingly the sleek soft lines of the modern architecture melds nicely with the antique windows! They named this Jeanne d' Arc Church.  Behind this church was where she was burned on the stake. 

We walked back to the boat to leave our "whispers" from the morning, let Michael change to shorts as it was very hot by then, and I was able to get a cooler shirt.   Back we went to walk all the way to the Napoleon statue, visiting churches and Abby's all along the way.  We saw a church turned into a wrought iron museum; one was empty but they were plastering some modern photographs on the wall that had nothing to do with the church and pictures of paintings of Asian children.  WEIRD doesn't even explain it!   

We watched six old guys play bocce ball for awhile and then went down a street of Antique stores.  Michael found a WEIRD little one that was head to tail filled with antiques and stuff and encouraged me to go in and see if I found anything I wanted.  I think he was feeling a little guilty taking me away from sending more pictures in McDonalds (it wasn't that successful anyway) but sure enough, I found a little antique that would fit in my suitcase. I asked the man what was the price of it and he said now about Ten euro and I said OK.  I should have asked him what it is because everyone asks me what it is and I don't know.  I think it has to do with food and will take it to breakfast to see if anyone knows it there. 

Tonight's dinner was a pork loin dish that was really good but not as delicious as the first night's pork.  The appetizers were yummy except I sneaked all the mussels over to Michael.  I'd had two margaritas at the pre-dinner fiesta so passed on wine and had a COKE light. 

Tonight a wonderful singer/story teller told the story of a very famous French singer who sang from the twenties to the late fifties. I can't remember her name or can't  find my paper about it but I think her initials were E.P. Anyway she told the story of her life and sang her songs while a guy with a very different accordion played beautiful music that didn't sound like an accordion. I know Mike Long will disagree but he needed to hear and check out this instrument as there were no piano keys on it,  and rather  there were many tiny buttons on the right similar to those on the left.  He could really make it sing. 

From that I went back to the cabin to finish watching the movie " Pay it Forward with Helen Hunt, Kevin Stacey and that little boy that has been on T.V. Lately. (Haley Joel Osment) I didn't remember it being so sad! Not ready to go to sleep yet... it is barely midnight. I decided to write. Now I'm too tired to put in the pictures. 

I have decided I will do it on board no matter now many gigabytes it takes!  Sitting in a Mc Donald's is not why I came to France!

 Nuff said. Good night and love,  Grove

 

June 12, 2015

This morning we sailed out of Rouen to the tiny village of Les Andelys. There are the ruins of a wonderful castle there, built and destroyed by two waring Plantagenet brothers. One was a Richard the Lionhearted I think and the other son was John... maybe  Dukes of Normandy/King of England!  Since both are in my ancestry line I wanted to visit it, but it was a ways up a steep hill and after so much walking, the salty delicious food I've been stuffing myself with and the very warm weather we had, my feet were so swollen and I was getting a heat rash. I didn't want to make it worse like what happened in the Danube trip so I stayed at the village and shopped and sent Michael to take the pictures and the hike. 

I ended up buying a Christmas ornament and came back to the boat to check my email. I stayed at the lounge because we were to have a water color class. It turned out to be really fun, although it was really my first lesson of doing such a watercolor. The teacher was an artist from Vernon which we will visit tomorrow. I am already behind and don't think I'll get all caught up tonight.

By the time I finished my picture it was time to go to the galley for a tour from the young Chez chef.  It was a wonderful kitchen and bigger than the one on past boats even though the boat is smaller. We barely had time to come back to the cabin and dress up in one of my Thailand dresses and go to the Inner Circle party. I really didn't have to dress up but the weather has been warm and that dress is cooler and more comfortable. We were able to talk with others with over 15 tours with this company. We talked with a lady who LOVED the Elbe trip!  She went on and on how much she loved it. Moshe said though that the height of the river is very important!  If it's too high they cancel it,  if too low and the boat can't go along the river, they use it as a hotel and you are bussed to each place and back. That would not be so good!

I looked through Michael's wonderful photos of the castle... many contenders for the fair! One of the other group's guides gave us a French lesson which was somehow wasted on me. They have all these letters at the end of words that they tend to swallow. Many in our group must have taken French in school but Michael and I were at a distinct disadvantage.

By that time it was time for more food.  Dinner was their usual Hollywood menu...Frank Sinatra chicken cordon blue, Tony Curtis filet of some  exotic  fish and Marilyn Monroe's  amazing vegetarian tart.  Michael and I took the first two choices and shared. Too delicious and too full. I know, we don't have to eat it all but!  Moderation in no things!

After dinner Christof, another guide, did a PowerPoint on the Impressionistic Movement and I laughed until my stomach ached. Of course some of that could have been helped along by the overheating. By the time it was over though it had moved to my legs and I couldn't wait to get my legs up! I'm not even going to write tonight so I'll be late again!

Oh well!  Grove

 

 

 

 

Picture Made From Wood, Ivory and Alabaster

 

 

 

 

^^  Women would wear this into the Sanctuary, under their long dresses, to relieve themselves
when the sermon was too long.

 

 

<<<   A carving on the corner of the Rouen Cathedral, with angels peeing.

 

 

 

Here We Are In Rouen

 

Early Musical Score

Musicians In The Church

 

Rouen Cathedral That Monet Painted

 

See the kids up in the third window from the left? That was wherre Monet sat to paint. The building was an underwear factory and he shared time there.

 

This is a famous clock there... seen from both sides of the arch. Check out the Roman Numeral '4'. That is the way it used to be presented on clocks

 

Joan of Arc Church Plaque

Joan of Arc Burial Site

 

 

Some Photos Worth Taking To The Fair
Michael Outdid Himself Taking Pictures of the Castle. So Beautiful

 

 

Chateau Gaillard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Boat Waiting For The Hikers And Shoppers To Return .
This was taken from the Chateau Gaillard

 

 

Our Red Group
Our Guide, Anne, Is Second On The Right With The Blue Scarf. Many Have Become Great Friends.

 

Dyke and Michael Know That Phyllis And Grove Are Shopping, So... Stay Put... Then Pay!