#Travel Cruise to Bordeaux France

We took an 8-day Viking Cruise to Bordeaux, which included sailing to the Gironde, Dordogne and Garonne Rivers.  It was also a wine cruise, which meant we visited vineyards and sampled wines and food that went with the drinks.

Some of our companions bought bottles of wine to ship back to their homes, but since California has good wine, we did not bother.  We did learn more about wine-making and drinking. For instance I had thought that old oak casks were desirable for ageing wine.  I was wrong. New oak barrels impart the oak flavor to the wine, which explains why a new barrel costs 100 times more than an old barrel.

I also learned to look at the color of the wine, to sniff it to detect the different scents, and to sip it in a way that the liquid lingers in the taste buds.



We also had the chance to see historical sites. After all, Bordeaux was where Eleanor of Aquitaine lived and Saint Andre Church where she married the King of France, Louis VII, still stands in central Bordeaux  Eleanor divorced Louis VII and married the English Duke of Normandy and King of England, Henry II.  She was the mother of Richard the Lionheart and King John.

The charming city of Bordeaux is right next to the river, and indeed it had been an important port. We enjoyed walking around the old section, which is very lively. Bordeaux has many young residents. There are many apartment/condo developments in the city.

Here are some pictures.

Tags: #travel #France #Bordeaux #cruise

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