March 29
Today we made a short stop at Vienne. Viking had the usual walking tours, followed by a mini-train ride. The weather in France has been like it was in the US last week. Temperatures have been in the high 60’s to low 70’s. So of course the pollen is really out, and I have come down with some pretty bad sinus drainage. So I have been having coughing fits, and did not sleep very well last night. Today seems to be better as I have found some medication that appears to be working, but we decided not to go on the walking tour today.
A little about Vienne. As with a lot of cities in this area, it was originally ruled by Rome. The city has grown prosperous over the last several centuries, growing into an intellectual and cultural hub. Most of its Roman monuments are still intact today. The temple of Augustus and Livia stands remarkably preserved, as do some of the cities ancient ramparts and aqueducts. The centerpiece of Vienne is the 13,000 seat Roman theater on the slopes of Mt. Pipet; it was buried from the fourth century until 1922 when it was uncovered.
We leave at 12:30 today for Lyon arriving around 3pm.
Bill, my husband and I are thoroughly enjoying your travelogue, particularly since we are booked for November on the exact same itinerary and ship as you are now experiencing. We'll be in cabin 240 so be sure to tell us how great it's gonna be! On our last Viking cruise the Internet service was almost unable to be used, so I wondering if you are able to post even these texts from the ship? Thanks for the armchair travel!
ReplyDeleteWe are in 207 and it is quite quiet. Internet has been surprisingly good, and I made this reply as we sailed up the Soene river. It seems that the reception in Southern France is much better than what we saw last fall between Paris and Normandy.
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