Travel – A Traveling Fool

June 13, 2025

April in Paris: Dôme des Invalides and Musée de l’Armée

You would think that with all of the times I have been to Paris, I would have visited Napoleon’s tomb and the army museum well before now. For some reason, there were always other priorities and I never got around to it. So glad that I did it this time and plan to go again the next time I am in Paris. There is so much to see there that it takes more than just one visit.

This was day two of the Hop On Hop Off Big Bus. Our group split up for the day as different people wanted to see different things. We arranged to meet up for dinner at 7:30pm. We all got on the bus at the same time and same place. We would just be getting off at different stops. Two of us stayed on the bus until the stop to visit the Hôtel des Invalides.

The stop was in the Parc du Champs de Mars behind the Eiffel Tower (on the other side from the Seine). We needed to walk through the park to the Military School and then angle over to the Avenue de Tourville to get to our destination. There was some major construction going on in the park, so we had to skirt around to our left instead of heading straight to the Military School. Once we reached the Dôme Church where the tomb was located, we found that the entrance to the entire complex was all the way around on the other side at the Place des Invalides. The entrance at the end we were was only open from 2pm to 6pm. We were definitely getting our exercise just to get into the place. We timed our walk to the spot where we passed by the Rodin Museum so we knew how long we would need to get back to where we had been dropped off.

At every site visited (including the boat ride the day before) everyone had to pass through a security check where any bags, backpacks and sometimes even purses, were opened and checked. Some locations also had metal detectors to pass through. Large bags and backpacks were not allowed and suitcases? Forget it. The churches that we visited (other than Notre Dame) were the only places where we could just walk right in.

After we passed through the security check at the entrance gate, we walked up to the entrance itself and purchased tickets to cover Napoleon’s tomb, the army museum, and the Rodin museum. Our plan was to do the military stuff in the morning and then see the Rodin sculptures after lunch.

We got the booklet showing what was where for the tomb and army museum and stepped aside to confer on our “plan of attack”. We quickly realized there was so much there that we needed to agree on what we wanted to see the most. Fortunately for us both, it was the tomb and the arms and armor 13^th to 17^th centuries. We figured that, if we had some extra time, we would also visit the Cathédrale Saint-Louis-des-Invalides, which is the national cathedral of the French military.

King Louis XIV had the complex built (1670–1676) to create a hospital and home for disabled and aged soldiers. The church and chapel were added in 1676. The Dôme is the tallest domed church in Paris.

On the 14^th of July 1789, the Hôtel des Invalides was stormed by Parisian rioters who took the cannons and muskets stored in the cellar to use against the Bastille. It was after Napoleon Bonaparte was interred within the Royal Chapel of the Dôme des Invalides that the Dôme and the church had separate altars created as well as a glass wall placed between them.

The rest of the building continued to be a retirement home and hospital until the early 20^th century when the military veterans were dispersed to other smaller facilities outside of Paris. Two existing museums were combined and moved into the space. There weren’t as many people with the twenty years or more service required for residence at the military hospital, so there was a lot of empty space.

We checked out a couple of the exhibits on the side of the museum we were on. Then we headed to the Dôme to spend some time visiting the tomb before heading to the other side of the museum. On our way, we saw an artillery gun much like those that Napoleon and his forces would have used at Saint Roch. I have a photo of that included with this post.

We needed to go all the way around to the main entrance of the Dôme church and then up the stairs. Once inside, we found it to be quite beautiful. The Tomb of Napoleon was created here in 1840 after his remains were returned to France from Saint Helena. I took several photos of it. Then we ventured down into the crypt to explore that area too. When we were done, we headed over to the arms and armor, which was in another wing of the museum.

This collection of ancient armor and weapons is quite amazing and makes this particular museum one of the three largest arms museums in the world. The #1 museum in this category is the Imperial War Museum in London. I have been there too. If you like the really old stuff, both the Tower of London and the New York City Metropolitan Museum have loads of wonderful armor on display. But this museum really takes the prize in the medieval armor category. They also have arms and armor from other countries and from the Renaissance and early modern periods.

Some of the really special pieces of armor included the Hounskull bascinet helmet (1350-1380). This had a lighter weight than earlier helmets and an open-faced design, which made it easier to see and breathe during combat. Important factors I would think.

There was a suit of armor that had lions carved upon it. It is believed to have belonged to François I (1494-1547). I can’t say that I have ever seen another suit of armor quite like it. There was also a suit of armor called the “armour of the Dauphin”, which supposedly belonged to the future Henri II (1519-1559). I have photos of all three of these included with this post.

We started off in the Salle Royale (the Royal Room) and walked around with our mouths open through pretty much the whole area. Then we realized that we had better get ourselves out of there, have some lunch and get to the Musée Rodin while we still had time before heading back to meet the last bus leaving the Parc du Champ de Mars.

The last photo I have included is of Napoleon’s camp tent setup. I would have also liked to have checked out the portion of the museum dedicated to Charles de Gaulle and World War II. I have a family member who was de Gaulle’s attaché at that time and wrote a book about it. Another good excuse to return to this wonderful museum.

Next time –A Great Lunch and Exploring the Musée Rodin

June 6, 2025June 6, 2025

April in Paris: Cruising Along the Seine

I know I have said this before, but I love water. Looking at it, gliding along on it, swimming (or just bobbing around) in it. So whenever I get the chance to take a river cruise or get out on a lake in a location where I am traveling, I do it. Every time I go to London, I take a ride on a boat there. The same with Paris.

After our morning visit to the Musée d’Orsay, we originally planned to visit L’Orangerie, with many more impressionist paintings, especially Monet’s Waterlilies. But we revised our plans and chose to take the boat cruise on the Seine instead of doing that the following day. This was a one hour trip from the Eiffel Tower down and around both the Ile de la Cité and Ile Saint Louis and back to the Eiffel Tower.

We jumped back onto the Big Bus at the stop across the street from the Musée d’Orsay and rode it around until we got to the Eiffel Tower. En route we passed the Place de la Concorde, rode along the Champs-Elysées, circled the Arc de Triomphe, and went back down the Champs-Elysées to the Grand and Petit Palais. Then we crossed the beautiful Pont Alexandre III to the other side of the Seine for a while before crossing back over the river again to go by the Shangri-La and the Palais de Chaillot. We crossed the river one more time to stop in front of the Eiffel Tower.

We had a bit of a walk to where the Bateux Parisien boats were docked. Then we stood for a while in the snaking line to get on board. It was a bit chilly so we opted to stay inside on the lower part of the boat instead of going upstairs, with the majority of people, out in the open air. Once the tour began, several people changed their minds and came downstairs. We had settled into a booth for four right next to a window.

Here and there I took some photos. But I mostly just watched the scenery roll by. Those who remained on the upper deck were encouraged to whoop and holler and wave at anyone we passed along the way. Many people responded in a friendly manner, but some not so much. My accompanying photos include both some from the Big Bus before and after the river cruise and some from the cruise itself. The photo taken under the Pont Neuf was the only one not taken by me.

I enjoyed seeing the bridges from underneath. A couple of the really old ones were lined with bricks. The Pont Neuf, despite its name, is the oldest of the bridges (it was begun in 1578 and was the first to be built without houses on it). It has several carved heads on its sides. They are all different from one another.

I also really liked the Statue de Sainte Geneviève. This was on the Pont de la Tournelle which crosses from the Left Bank (the Latin Quarter) onto the Ile Saint Louis. Instead of facing Notre Dame de Paris, she is facing the opposite direction. Why?

Geneviève was born in Nanterre in 423 and moved to Paris when she was 20. She was then ordered by the Bishop of Paris as a “Consecrated Virgin”. When, in 451, Attila and the Huns crossed the Rhine to invade Gaul, they plundered Metz and Reims along the way and were heading to Paris, most Parisians chose to flee. Geneviève urged Paris to fight and began to pray for the city. Attila decided to head to Troyes instead on his way to besiege Orleans.

Paris was miraculously saved and Geneviève became one of the patron saints of Paris. The other is Saint Denis. He’s the fella who was beheaded for his faith on Montmartre sometime between 250 and 270 and walked several miles afterwards carrying his head and preaching. The spot where he finally fell dead is the present day location of the Basilica of Saint-Denis, where many of the kings and queens of France are buried (as well as Denis himself).

Sainte Geneviève’s statue faces in the direction from which the Huns would have come – away from Paris rather than towards it. The statue’s sculptor, Paul Landowski, was not at all happy about that. Her position does make it rather difficult to see the details. Landowski would go on a few years later to create one of the most famous statues in the world, Christ the Redeemer, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Once we disembarked from the boat and got back on the Big Bus, we stayed on until we would be deposited at the Big Bus office along the Avenue de l’Opera. That was the closest stop to our hotel. Unfortunately, about the time we reached La Madelaine, the traffic began to crawl and then stop, and crawl and stop and sit. It took us a very long time to actually reach the Opera Garnier, which was the last stop of the Big Bus before we could get to the office.

Turned out that the stop lights at the Place de l’Opera were not working. This created a huge traffic jam. Although most people were relatively patient, there were some whose tempers were on their last nerve. Some of these folks just yelled a lot, while others began to do some things that could have made things much worse by causing an accident. At one point it seemed that our bus was surrounded by other vehicles all facing us and demanding we get out of their way. Fortunately the calmer folks, which included our driver, prevailed and we eventually got to move around in a circle behind the opera house, where the stop there was located. By that time, there was a motorcycle next to us with a doggie riding with its daddy. I took a photo. The very calm and quiet dog was wearing a jacket and some goggles.

When we finally got to where we could get off the bus and walk back to our hotel, it had been over an hour and a half since we had finished the river cruise. About an hour of that time was spent in the traffic jam.

Along the Rue Saint Honoré we came across a small grocers. We stopped in to see what they had. I bought a large bottle of Orangina plus a couple of small bottles of wine. Back at the hotel, we went for dinner at the their restaurant again. We had really liked the food the night before, plus the restaurant was cozy and intimate. This time we didn’t dress up as much. Really didn’t need to do so.

Next time –Napoleon’s Tomb and the Musée de l’Armée

May 30, 2025

April in Paris: The Musée d’Orsay

Prior to the trip to Paris, I checked out which venues needed a reservation and which I could just purchase a ticket for when I got there. Although reservations weren’t needed for the Musée d’Orsay, I remembered that the last couple times I had been there was a very long and slow line to purchase tickets. Those who already had tickets went right in. So tickets were purchased for me and my friends.

I also booked the Paris Big Bus Hop On Hop Off 48 Hour pass with optional River Cruise on the Seine. Although we could have simply walked through the Tuileries gardens and crossed the river to get to the museum (which was how I had gotten there in the past), I had originally planned to visit the Conciergerie and Sainte Chapelle on Day 1 of using the Hop On Hop Off pass. But Sainte Chapelle required a timed reservation and didn’t have four open slots for the day I planned to go there. So I switched a couple things around and we ended up going to the Musée d’Orsay instead.

We exchanged our vouchers for tickets at the Big Bus office on the Avenue de l’Opera, hopped on the double-decker bus and sat through the next two stops. The first stop was at the Louvre. The second stop was just across the Seine from Notre Dame.

It was nearly 10am when we passed Notre Dame and the crowd was gargantuan. The line to get in was all the way out to the sidewalk behind the Parvis and around the block from there. Those folks were not going to get inside for hours. This was the Thursday before Easter.

The next stop was right across the street from the Musée d’Orsay. The photo I have included here doesn’t look like there was a large crowd, but appearances can be deceiving. The lines near me when I took the photo were all for people like us who had purchased tickets in advance. As you can see, they were nearly empty. The crowd you can see at the back of the photo was of those without advance tickets.

We zipped on through the line to which we were assigned and got right in. Still didn’t seem too crowded inside until we got to the fifth floor. It was packed. So packed that moving around was awkward and being able to actually see the art a challenge. Looking back, I think going Holy Week was the issue. It appeared that a lot of families had school holiday that week and decided that Paris was the place to be.

I still managed to get some decent photos of some of the art. Although my size (lack thereof) makes it difficult to see over people, it does allow me to fairly easily slip in and out from around them. I could slip in, grab a quick photo, and slip out again. Not very conducive to standing and contemplating however. As an Impressionistic-style artist myself, I like to study the brush strokes of the originals. Didn’t quite get to do that this time.

And sitting? All available benches for seated contemplation were covered with swarms of children. They were camped out for the day, playing with their phones, and not moving for anything.

I made sure that I had the Van Gogh paintings covered (we circled that room twice). But I am certain that I missed some of my other favorites entirely – especially a couple of the Degas ballerina paintings, plus some of the Monets, Sisleys, Pissaros and Renoirs.

We were trying not to lose each other while endeavoring to find our favorite painters. Except for a couple of times when I went in for a stealthy photo attack, my one friend kept a hand on me so I wouldn’t disappear entirely.

When we got to the area where one of the clocks from the original railway station that had been converted into the museum was located, the crowds were considerably thinner. The floors other than the fifth (which contained most of the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists), were decidedly less packed full of people. In fact, the last two photos I took ended up being pretty much void of people.

The Degas sculpture shown here is one that I have a much smaller version of at home. Several of the paintings were among those of which I had painted my own versions, such as Monet’s Woman With a Parasol on the right of the two shown, Manet’s Peonies, and the first Degas painting shown. I have started the Van Gogh Starry Night On the Rhone, but it is not completely finished.

Once we viewed what we wanted to see on the other floors, we chose to have some lunch there in the museum. There were two cafés and a restaurant from which to choose. We picked one and settled in for a leisurely lunch before heading out to our next location. Since we had had a very full day the previous day and a full morning, we decided to change up a bit for the afternoon and do the river cruise then instead of saving it for the following day.

When we hopped back on the bus, we rode around until we reached the Eiffel Tower. Then we hopped off and got in line for the opportunity to glide along the Seine watching the city of Paris go by.

Next time –Boat Ride on the Seine

May 23, 2025

April in Paris: The Musée National du Moyen Age (Musée de Cluny)

Just a few short blocks from the Church of Saint-Séverin, is a museum I have long wanted to visit. This is the Musée du Moyen Age or the Musée de Cluny. The land upon which the museum now stands was central to the Roman city of Lutetia. A complex of cold, partially-heated and fully-heated rooms for bathing as well as outdoor areas for exercising was built in the 1^st century at this location and was in use for about two centuries.

The Cluny mansion was built in the 15^th century next to the largest remaining structure of the Roman Bath, the Frigidarium. The Cluny is the only surviving private mansion in Paris featuring a courtyard in the front and a garden in the back. It was built in what is known as the flamboyant Gothic style.

In 1843, the museum was founded using the collection of the mansion’s then owner, Alexandre Du Sommerard (1779-1842). In the 19^th century a building was constructed to link the antique thermal baths with the medieval mansion and, in the 21^st century, a new building was built to be a Visitor’s Center.

Once you buy your ticket, you are given a map of the building. The self-guided tour begins in the Frigidarium. My oh my, but this is an impressive building. I have seen many a Roman bath all over Europe and the Middle East. But they are usually archaeological excavations. This room is completely intact. It has walls and a roof. It no longer has its painted frescoes. But here and there remain traces of what once was. I did not anticipate the size of it. The ceiling soars to over 14 metres in height (over 46 feet) and the dimensions of the room are enormous.

One of the two important pieces displayed in the Frigidarium is the Pillar of the Boatmen, which was discovered beneath the Parvis in front of Notre Dame de Paris and moved here. The pieces of that pillar were created in the 1^st century. The other is the Saint Landry Pillar, which dates from the 2^nd century. They are right next to each other. I have included a photo here with the Saint Landry Pillar on the right and some fragments of the Pillar of the Boatmen on the left.

From here the tour continues in chronological order, starting in the early Middle Ages. Room 2 includes the votive Visigoth crowns from the Treasure of Guarrazar. Room 3 holds the Capitals from Saint-Germain-des-Pres, which were damaged during the French Revolution. Room 4 consists of the portal of the Virgin also from Saint-Germain-des-Pres.

During the French Revolution, the heads of the statues on the western front of the exterior of Notre Dame de Paris were lopped off. This was because the people who did the beheading mistakenly thought that the statues were of the Kings of France. They were actually of the Kings of Judah. After the Revolution, the statues on the cathedral were given new heads. The damaged originals were not discovered until 1977 and were given to the Cluny. They are displayed in Room 5 along with the statue of Adam, who used to stand just inside of the south entrance of Notre Dame with Eve (who is missing).

Room 6 contains several examples of medieval Limoges Enamel. It also has what has been referred to as the Treasure of the Three Kings. These items date from the 12^th century and therefore have no connection to the Magi (which would have been 1^st century). Whoever did own these objects would have been quite wealthy.

We sort of zipped through Room 7 (with items from other parts of France around 1200) and headed straight for Room 8. This room held several items from Sainte Chapelle, which had been removed and/or damaged during the Revolution. There were three very well preserved apostles plus some other more fragmentary statuary and some panels of stained glass windows. All date from the 13^th century.

Unfortunately, ignorance and violence often go hand in hand, destroying people, buildings, tombs, books and art. During the French Revolution, not only were statues and windows destroyed in the churches, chapels and cathedrals but, in some cases the entire building. This happened with the church of Saint-Louis-de-Poissy.

This was the priory church of the monastery of Poissy which King Philip IV (also known as Philip the Fair) founded in honor of his grandfather, King Louis IX, who was canonized in 1297. The monastery was located directly opposite the church in which Saint Louis was baptized. The angels on display here in Room 9 are 13^th century and pretty much all that remain from that church.

The following Room 10, contains art in France during the reign of Philip the Fair and his sons. This includes an intricately carved ivory case (or casket) titled “Attack on the Castle of Love”, created in the 14^th century.

The stairs to go up to the 1^st floor were blocked off. Rooms 11 through 16 were closed. These were all in the 15^th century portion of the building. It wasn’t possible to view, much less go into, the courtyard either. I was very disappointed as the building itself had as much interest for me as the art it contained. Room 16 was the chapel and was still decorated as such. Instead we needed to retrace our steps back all the way through Room 2 to get an elevator to rooms 17 through 21. We would end up seeing these rooms backwards. For continuity I am talking about them in the correct chronological order.

Room 17 included the Cross of Pietro Vannini. He was an Italian goldsmith who created the unusual bi-face cross in the 15^th century. Although my photo doesn’t quite convey it, the cross is quite stunning on both sides. From Room 17, we could also look down into Room 3 with the Capitals from Saint-Germain-des-Pres.

Room 17 encircled Room 18, which held what they referred to as “arts of combat”. I have a small collection of a few swords, daggers, plus a pistol or two (flint lock) and have a fascination with antique arms and armor. Whenever I am in a place that has historic weaponry, I always check it out. Such items tend to bring history to life. Rooms 19a, 19b and 19c were dedicated to daily life.

Then came Room 20. This room held the six The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. Five are dedicated to the senses touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight. The sixth tapestry is titled “To my only desire”.

I have a large needlepoint version of the tapestry dedicated to the sense of smell. It is unfinished as of yet. The originals date from roughly 1500 and are quite intricate. They had nice cushioned benches in the center of the room so we could sit down and gaze upon them all. I have included a photo of the room which shows how they are displayed and gives a decent indication of their size.

The last room contained religious furnishings from north of the Alps in the late Middle Ages. It was a very large room filled with a lot of interesting stuff. One item of interest was a group of stalls from Saint-Lucien-de-Beauvais Abbey. They were commissioned in 1492. The monks and canons, who had to stand for most of the services, were able to lean back on the small ledges on the underside of the folding seats to ease their legs. The ledges are called misericords, or mercy seats, because rest was considered to be a great mercy granted by God.

Some of the tapestries of the story of Saint Etienne (Saint Stephen) hang on the wall above the stalls. From his election to the deacons to his burial in Rome, the story of St Etienne’s life is recounted in great detail and annotated with captions for each scene.

Once we had seen everything we could see, we looked at each other and said, “taxi”. We had walked from the hotel to Notre Dame. Then visited the Archaeological Crypt, had lunch, visited the Square René Viviani and Saint Julien le Pauvre, then the Church of Saint-Séverin, and finally the Musée Cluny. None of us relished the idea of walking all the way back to the hotel. So we walked over to the Boulevard Saint Michel (Saint Michael) and up to the corner of that street and Boulevard Saint Germain and hailed a cab.

Back at the hotel, we rested up a bit and dressed up for dinner. We ate at the very nice French restaurant in the hotel. For my main course, I had a Seafood Salad, which consisted of Scottish smoked salmon, shrimp, avocado, and citrus fruits on a bed of greens. For starters, I had Chestnut Soup. We all had wine with dinner.

Next time –Musée d’Orsay

May 16, 2025

April in Paris: The Archaeological Crypt Plus Two Old and Diverse Churches

The entrance to the Archaeological Crypt was right behind the bleachers upon which we sat to take photos of the exterior of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. This was at the western end of what is officially known as Parvis Notre Dame – Place Jean Paul II.

The current level of the Parvis is roughly 4 to 5 meters (approximately 13 to 16 feet) higher than the ancient ground level. The current riverbank of the Seine has also moved roughly 50 meters (approximately 164 feet) to the south of the original. That means that the ancient riverbank was essentially in the middle of the current square.

Workers in 1842 discovered the original western steps of Notre Dame, which had ended up under several centuries of repaving. Then, in 1847, the foundations of the Roman wall and of the cathedral of Saint Etienne were found during further excavations.

In 1965, while excavating for a new underground parking garage, even more ancient foundations were discovered. The plans for the parking garage were modified and the site was opened to the public in 1980. I have included a photo of the actual Roman Port with a video behind it to indicate what the port would have looked like back when it was being used. I also have a photo of the steps down to the port.

Then there are the remains of the 4^th century Roman hot baths. The under-floor heating system is still visible. There are also some of the items that have been unearthed during the excavations, such as weapons, tools, and portions of sculptures. There was one sculpted face that I captured because I found it quite interesting. Couldn’t find any information about what it was, however. It seems like it could be a more modern piece of art included in the display.

One of the major sculptures discovered here is called The Pillar of the Boatman and is on display in the Roman frigidarium at the Musee National du Moyen Age (also known as the Musee Cluny). The next post will be about our visit to that museum.

By this time, we needed a lunch break. We headed across the Seine to the Latin Quarter on the Left Bank. Just on the other side of the bridge was a café I had visited four years earlier while in Paris on the Avalon Waterways Grand France River Cruise. One of our number remained to take ownership of our table once we could be seated. The rest of us headed downstairs to the restrooms in the cellar.

After lunch (I had a Croque Monsieur and some fresh-squeezed orange juice) we made our way through the Square René Viviani to visit the Eglise Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre. When the original 6^th century Church of St. Julien existed, the area that became a square in 1909 had been a cemetery. During the 19^th century some Merovingian-era graves and tombs had been found near the walls of the current Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre.

A rather odd-looking and modern fountain was erected in the square in 1995. It is known as the Saint Julien fountain and is meant to represent the legend of Saint Julien the Hospitaller, which involves a curse by witches, a talking deer, a case of mistaken identity, a horrific crime, several improbable coincidences, and a supernatural intervention. It was a popular tale back in the Middle Ages.

In addition to containing pieces of several sculptures that had once stood on portions of Notre Dame de Paris (and had been discarded during past renovations), the Square is also known for being the location of the oldest tree in Paris. It was planted back in 1601 from a Locust tree seed brought back from the Appalachian Mountains in the U.S. It is supported by a couple of concrete crutches and continues to bloom every year. It is just outside of Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre.

The 6^th century version of this church was torn down and rebuilt at roughly the same time as Notre Dame was being built. It was begun in the Romanesque style, but is mostly Gothic. It was begun between 1165 and 1170 upon the foundations of the older church. It is referred to as the “oldest church in Paris” (it was begun after Notre Dame but completed well before it). Of the city’s 12^th century churches (Saint Germain des Pres was outside of the city when it was built), it is the only one that has survived.

Like most religious and/or royal structures, it too was treated poorly during the French Revolution and used as a storage depot for salt. In the 19^th century, the church was restored and then assigned to the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. Since this group is adverse to sculptural decoration, there is just one statue remaining inside. It is a 17^th century carved wooden statue of the Virgin Mary and Child. The Melkite Greek Catholic Church does favor icons and so the walls of the two side aisles have several icons displayed on them.

It did not take long to see the entire church as it was quite small. Since a lovely 15^th church was close by along a pedestrian-only street, we headed there next to see a church that was quite different in size and style from this small gem.

The Church of Saint-Séverin was originally constructed in 1230. After a fire in 1448 during the Hundred Years’ War, it was rebuilt and enlarged in the 15^th to 17^th centuries. Parts of the original church still exist however. The lower portion of the bell tower remains as do other bits and pieces throughout. The portal is actually from another, earlier church and the nave was built in two different styles and eras — High Gothic (13^th century) and Flamboyant (15^th century). The stained-glass windows come from many different centuries and are in many different styles. Although it is a bit of a hodge podge, it all works together quite harmoniously.

The church was named after Saint Séverin of Paris. He lived on the site of the present church in the 6^th century. One of his pupils was Clodoald (Saint Cloud). After Saint Séverin’s death, a chapel was erected on the site of his cell. This was destroyed during the Norman invasions in the 9^th century and rebuilt in the 11^th century.

After the University of Paris (now the Sorbonne) was founded in 1215, Saint Séverin became its parish church. This necessitated a much larger building which was begun in 1230.

During the French Revolution, the church was closed and used to store gunpowder. Later it was used for storing grain and church bells (which were being melted down to make cannons). Ironically, one of the oldest church bells in Paris, cast in 1412, is located at Saint Séverin.

A very distinctive feature of the apse behind the altar is the twisting central pillar and surrounding pillars that resemble stone palm trees. The branches reach up and spread into an intricate web of vaulting. The central pillar is illuminated and is quite striking.

This was another place where we sat and drank it all in for a while. Then we headed for the Musee National du Moyen Age, also known as the Musee Cluny.

Next time –Musee Cluny (Musee National du Moyen Age)

May 9, 2025

April in Paris: The Beautifully Restored Notre Dame

Once Notre Dame was open again to visitors, they were requesting that all visitors book a reservation on their website. The reservation could only be booked a day or two ahead of when we planned to visit. I kept my eye on the website in case they decided to expand the time in which a reservation could be booked. Then they decided to suspend all reservations for the Holy Week. Since that was the week we would be in Paris, we were left with the possibility of either having several hours to stand in line, or possibly not even getting in.

A French friend of mine had just been in Paris in December to visit his family and told me that the trick was to get there early in the day – as early as possible after they opened. On the day we planned to go, they were going to be open to tourists from 8am to 1:30pm. After that they would be closed to tourists to accommodate a special service. We decided we would get there by 8am.

The hotel breakfast began serving at 6:45am. We were at the restaurant when they opened. There were many items from which to choose, but we all went for a fairly light breakfast since we were walking from the hotel to Notre Dame.

Heading out from the hotel, we took a shortcut through the Louvre grounds and then walked along the river until we got to the Pont Neuf. We crossed that bridge onto the Ile de Cite and headed straight to Notre Dame. The walk had taken about 30 minutes.

It is said that a Gallic (Parisii) settlement, called Lutetia most likely existed on the Ile de City since at least the 3^rd century BC. In 53 BC, Julius Caesar traveled to Lutetia to meet with the tribal leaders, who agreed to submit to Rome. They then rebelled and were eventually defeated in battle.

After the conquest of the Parisii, the town developed mainly on the Left Bank, where the temples and baths were located. By about the 3^rd century AD, the left bank was sacked by Germanic tribes and largely abandoned. Around the mid-3^rd century, the Roman Governor had his palace on the western end of the island, near the present Palais de Justice. This was the area where we entered the island.

In 486, Clovis I, the first King of the Franks, met with Saint Genevieve about the submission of Paris. In 508, Clovis made Paris his capital. It is believed that a Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter once stood on the site of Notre Dame.

The first cathedral of Paris, Saint Etienne, was constructed in 540 – 545, close to the west front of the present Notre Dame de Paris. The bishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully, decided in 1160 to demolish Saint Etienne and build a much larger cathedral. The area of the demolished cathedral would act as the construction site for the new cathedral. This same area (called the Parvis) was also used as the construction site for the restoration after the 2019 fire. The new cathedral would be dedicated to the Virgin Mary (“Our Lady” or “Notre Dame”).

Construction began in 1163 and was mostly completed by 1260. In the 13^th century the flying buttresses were added. The crown of thorns, a piece of the true cross, and a nail from the cross were housed in Notre Dame while Sainte-Chapelle was being built by King Louis IX (later Saint Louis). At some point, these items were returned to Notre Dame on a permanent basis.

During the French Revolution, the cathedral sustained major desecration. Then Napoleon’s coronation was held there.

Victor Hugo wrote The Hunchback of Notre Dame largely as an effort to create interest and lead to its restoration in the 19^th century. In 2019 a large fire threatened to destroy Notre Dame, but it survived. When I was last in Paris, in 2021, the building was completely covered in scaffolding and in the process of being stabilized and restored.

Each time I have visited Paris, I have included a visit to Notre Dame. It was always so dark inside. This time, it was bright and gorgeous. The beautiful altar had survived. The statue of Our Lady, and of Joan of Arc, and of various saints in their chapels had either survived intact or had been restored. The Rose Windows were still magnificent.

I momentarily held my breath while our bags were searched before we were let into the cathedral. But once we were through the doors, I let out a sigh of relief. My friends and I looked at each other as if we couldn’t quite believe we were there. I began taking photos with both my phone and my camera – 59 of Notre Dame in all (55 that I kept as four were badly out of focus)) and 24 that I am sharing in this post.

The traffic inside of the cathedral was essentially directed to the left. At this point in the day, the crowd wasn’t overwhelming. It wasn’t a problem to go at our own pace and to just sit down whenever we needed to do so to contemplate it all. We stopped. We examined. We remarked to each other. We were in awe.

I was noticing things I had never noticed before – perhaps because I had felt rushed in the past or because it was so much easier to see everything now. For instance, I don’t remember ever seeing the details of the choir screen before or seeing the effigy of a medieval bishop behind the altar. This is the only remaining medieval funerary sculpture still in existence in Notre Dame.

Once we got around the back of the altar, we found that we could actually go into the area directly in front of the altar for prayer only (no photos or conversations). We chose to do that and so stood in line briefly as others came out so we could go in. This was when I really felt overwhelmed and the tears came. Although I had not been raised Catholic, my companions had been and were also quite moved by the experience.

By the time we left Notre Dame, it was nearly 10am. The lines were now quite long and the Parvis had considerably more people moving about on it than when we had gone in. Stadium-like seating bleachers had been built down at the western end of the Parvis to allow people to sit and watch the restoration efforts. We went and sat there for a bit and took some more photos before heading for the Archeological Crypt right behind where we were seated.

Next time – The Archeological Crypt, Two Old and Diverse Churches and the Musee Cluny

May 2, 2025

April in Paris: Arrival

I was meeting up with some friends in Paris. I knew I would be arriving several hours ahead of them, so I planned a walk from the hotel (which was near the Louvre) to L’Eglise Saint Roch, Opera Garnier, Chapelle Expiatore, La Madelaine, Place de la Concorde, and back to the hotel. They were going to text me once they arrived and we would meet up wherever I was along the planned route.

Notre Dame had opened up to the public in early December and was, by all accounts, spectacular. We all wanted to see it as well as spend some time together. So a short trip was planned and booked at the beginning of February.

My flight arrived at Charles de Gaule airport from the US at 7am. The others were coming by train and would arrive around 2pm. I had travelled fairly light and had just one carryon and the bag that I would be using for my camera, etc. while on the trip (I had stuffed my travel purse inside of that when boarding the flight).

I figured that I would be at the hotel about 9am. Time for breakfast and then head out exploring. Wrong. It took me an hour just to get to the area where I would go through customs as well as the actual going through customs. I connected with my pre-arranged transportation at pretty much 8am on the dot. It took roughly two hours to get to the hotel. The good news what that the room was ready for me. The bad news was that breakfast was only served until 10:30am, so none for me that day. I immediately reversed my planned agenda.

I unpacked and got things settled in the room, then headed out. I would bypass Place de la Concorde (I had seen it many times on many other trips to Paris) and head straight for La Madeleine (which I had never been to before). After La Madelaine, I would get some lunch.

Originally planned by King Louis XV as the focal point of the new Rue Royal which led to what is now the Place de la Concorde, its building was halted by the French Revolution in 1789. Once Napoleon Bonaparte became Emperor in 1804, he decided (in 1806) to make it into a “temple to the glory of the Grand Army”. After his fall in 1814, the new King, Louis XVIII, resumed construction on what he figured should be an Expiatory chapel for the sins of the Revolution and the execution of Louis XVI. That idea was dropped and it was instead dedicated to Mary Magdalene. Chopin’s funeral was held there, as were the funerals of Coco Chanel and Josephine Baker, among others.

The exterior resembles a Greek Temple. It also has some gargantuan bronze doors which were fortunately open. I thought the interior was quite beautiful and well worth visiting. The fresco on the dome above the altar was called The History of Christianity. Just behind the altar was a monumental sculpture called The Ecstasy of Mary Magdalene. I was there the Tuesday before Easter. This was the Mary who had witnessed both the crucifixion and the resurrection.

Another couple of sculptures that I really liked were one of Joan of Arc and one called The Baptism of Christ. I took my time and then headed to a nearby café for a light lunch.

When King Louis XVI was executed in 1793, his body was taken to the Old Church of Saint Madelaine (now the site of the Chapelle Expiatoire) and buried there in its cemetery without much ceremony. In 1815, his and Marie Antoinette’s bodies were moved to a new tomb in the Basilica of Saint-Denis. Then, in 1816 the Chapelle Expiatoire began construction at the orders of King Louis XVIII.

The chapel wasn’t open, so I could only see the outside of it. The courtyard of the chapel is lined with symbolic tombs to the Swiss Guards who were executed along with the king.

From there, I walked over to the Opera Garnier, which I have visited in the past. It had some construction going on, so the façade was covered up. It was closed to tours as well. The gift shop was open, but I didn’t see anything I couldn’t live without. So, after resting for a bit on its steps along with a number of other people, I headed down the Avenue de l’Opera.

Turning at Rue Saint Roch, I worked my way down to the church by that name. That was when I got the text that my friends were at the hotel. I responded with the directions to Saint Roch and met them there.

In the time of Joan of Arc, it is said that she placed a cannon on a hill where Saint Roch now sits and shot it towards the Paris gate of Saint Honore. The English and Burgundians were in control of the city at the time (1429) and King Charles VII had been crowned not that long before. During the assault, Joan was wounded in the thigh by a crossbow bolt and her efforts failed. The location of the gate was roughly where 161-163 Rue Saint Honore is located today. There is a plaque on the side of the building there.

The first stone was laid in 1653 to build Saint Roch. It was built on and off over time for about a hundred years. On the 5^th of October in 1795 a large force of royalist soldiers occupied the street and the front steps of the church. In what is known as the 13 Vendemiaire, these troops were confronted by the young Napoleon Bonaparte and his artillery battery. They cleared the steps and secured the street. So began Napoleon’s quick rise to power. The marks of the artillery fire can still be seen on the front of the church.

One of the chapels that I really like is the one dedicated to the French Jews who were killed during the Holocaust. It is quite touching and contains the inscription, “Mon Dieu faites de moi un instrument de votre paix,” which translates to, “God make me an instrument of your peace.”

Tombs and memorials include Yves Saint-Laurent, Marie Anne de Bourbon (daughter of Louis XIV), Cesar de Vendome, and Jean-Honore Fragonard. The Marquis de Sade, and the Maquis de Lafayette were among those married at Saint Roch.

Not far from Saint Roch is a café that I have frequented often in the past. We had our dinner there, looking out at a gold statue of Joan of Arc standing on a little traffic island in the middle of a broad street. Although I had had a light lunch, I still wasn’t especially hungry, so I ordered Oeufs Poches Bio Florentine avec Crème Citron et un milkshake au chocolat (poached eggs, spinach and lemon cream with a chocolate milkshake). My lack of sleep on the plane the previous night was catching up to me. For some reason, my mind just wasn’t remembering that the French for a chocolate milkshake was simply “milkshake au chocolat”. Fortunately one of my friends, who speaks French better than I, helped me out (while laughing).

Back at the hotel, we decided that a nightcap would be a good idea (our rooms were on the same floor, so they could steer me to the right place). The bartender created a drink that involved Champagne, Chambord (a French raspberry liquor), lemon juice, and some crushed, fresh mint. Perfect.

Next time – The beautifully restored Notre Dame

January 7, 2025

Viking British Isles Explorer Cruise: Post Cruise Extension – A Day in Oslo

We needed to meet up in the lobby with our tour guide at 9:45am for a three hour tour of Oslo. Fortunately my early night helped me to feel better by the time I needed to get up. I had a good breakfast (a buffet included with the room) and was ready to see Oslo.

Oslo has been the capital city of Norway since the 1830s and is the most populous city in Norway. It was originally founded as a trading place named Anslo at the end of the Viking Age in 1040. After burning down in 1624, a new city was built closer to the Akershus Fortress and named Christiania in honor of King Christian IV. In 1925, after incorporating the remaining village of Anslo, it was renamed Oslo. Oslo is a very important center for maritime industries and trading in Europe as well as being a hub of Norwegian trade, banking, industry and shipping.

The Akershus Fortress/Castle was believed to have been built sometime around the late 1290s by King Haakon V. It first saw battle in 1308 when it was besieged by a Swedish duke. In 1449 – 1450 it was besieged again; this time by the Swedish King Karl Knutsson Bonde. In 1502, Scottish soldiers in the service of a Danish-Norwegian king, besieged the castle in order to get it out of the hands of a Norwegian nobleman. The fortress has managed to survive all sieges throughout its long history.

The Royal Palace was built in the first half of the 19^th century for Charles XIV John, who was King of Norway and Sweden at the time. It is still the official residence of the Norwegian monarchs.

While the Viking Ship Museum is undergoing an extensive rebuilding project, the three Viking burial ships that it normally contains are on display at the Norwegian Maritime Museum. We started off our visit with the video “Maritime Norway”. Then we continued our visit by viewing the exhibits. I was especially interested in the archaeological finds, the figureheads, and the Viking ships. There was also a good-sized model of an old schooner.

One of the Viking Ships, the Gokstad Ship, is a 9^th century (around 890) ship found in a burial mound in Vestfold County. It is the largest preserved Viking ship in Norway. The ship is 23.80 metres (78.1 ft) long, and 5.10 metres (16.7 ft) wide. The ship was the final resting place for a rich and powerful man, in his mid-40s, who died a violent death probably in battle, and who was accompanied into the afterlife by twelve horses, eight dogs, two goshawks, and two peacocks. Also found within the burial ship were three small boats.

Discovered in 1880, the ship is mostly oak and what they call “clinker-built”. This means that the planks overlap at one edge and are riveted together. The advantages to this style of ship building was that freshly felled trees could be used without sealing them first, plus the ships were lighter and therefore faster.

The Oseberg Ship was found in a large burial mound at the Oseberg farm near Tonsberg also in Vestfold county. It is considered to be one of the greatest Viking artifacts as yet found. It has been determined to have been buried no earlier than 834 although portions of the ship appear to be possibly from before 800. It is almost entirely of oak, clinker-built, and is 21.58 metres (70.8 ft) in length, 5.10 metres (16.7 ft) broad, with a mast of approximately 9-10 metres (30-33 ft) in height. It would have taken up to 30 people to row it. The bow and stern are elaborately decorated with beautiful woodcarvings. The oars were made of pine and have painted decoration on them. They are in such excellent shape that it is thought that they were never used and were created for the burial.

Inside of the ship, the remains of two women were found along with a large number of grave goods, including clothes, shoes, combs, various farm and kitchen tools, a wooden cart, three ornate sleighs, one working sleigh, several chests, five carved wooden animal heads, two cows, fifteen horses, and six dogs. The older of the two women is thought to have been about 80 when she died. The other woman is of undetermined age and thought to have possibly been her servant. This type of burial for women was not normal practice at the time.

The Tune Ship is a small type of longship, known as a karve. It was found on the Haugen farm on the island of Rolvsøy, in the parish of Tune, in Ǿstfold, Norway in 1867. This ship isn’t complete, just in fragments. It was clinker-built around 900 AD of oak. It is 4.2 metres (14 ft) wide and would have had 11 or 12 pairs of oars. The length of the keel is approximately 14 metres (46 ft). The Tune Ship must have been a fast sailboat that also worked well as an oared vessel. It was likely a quick-paced courier ship, built not to last, but to move many men quickly over short or longer distances.

This ship was the first Viking ship to be found and excavated. This happened at a time when modern archaeology was only just developing. It was extracted from the mound quickly and roughly. This resulted in the loss or destruction of the remains of the man who was buried in the ship and the artefacts that remained after earlier intrusions. These items are described in notes that were made during the excavation, but most of them disappeared during or just after the excavation and never arrived at the museum. The few artefacts that still exist include fragments of fine wooden carvings that suggest the tomb had probably been richly equipped.

After the visit to the Maritime Museum, I began to feel that I was going downhill health-wise again. Once we returned to the hotel, I ventured back to the train station to purchase some items for both lunch and dinner at the grocers I had seen when we arrived the day before. That way I wouldn’t need to leave the room again until the following day when I needed to fly home. I had originally planned to walk over to the Akershus Fortress to check out the inside of the place. But I was running a fever and had chills by this time, even though it was a very nice, warm day. I pretty much just wanted to curl up into a ball and sleep. So I put the “do not disturb” sign on the door, ate some lunch, and did just that.

Fortunately, I did perk up again by the next morning and was able to fly home through Reykjavik, Iceland without anybody thinking I might have Covid or some other potentially serious illness. The plane was delayed getting into Reykjavik and I had to move quite quickly to make it to my connection. So, very glad I was feeling better and more alert.

I really enjoyed the trip and wouldn’t mind doing it all again while just making different excursion selections so I can see and do new things. Except for Jarlshof, I would want to do that one again.

December 31, 2024

Viking British Isles Explorer Cruise: Post Cruise Extension – Scenic Train Ride from Bergen to Oslo

The cruise ended in Bergen. Many people, including Christine and Sherry, were heading home. Others had post-cruise extensions. I had booked an extension that included a scenic train ride from Bergen to Oslo and then a day in Oslo.

The following day, everybody had to be out of their staterooms by 8am at the latest. Then we waited around in the ship’s atrium to have our group called to journey to the train station. Just had my carry-on with me as well as the shoulder bag I used when going on the excursions. That held my camera, my cap, and my jacket.

The route included the following locations where we stopped for passengers to get on or off the train:

Bergen to Voss – scenery of high mountains, deep valleys and narrow fjords.
- Arna
  - Dale
- Voss – a place for skiing and high adrenaline extreme sports.
Voss to Geilo – includes a 35 km long, distinctive mountain ridge (Hallingskarvet) and Norway’s sixth largest glacier (Hardangerjøkulen).
- Myrdal – from which the train to Flåm could be taken. The Flåm Railway is one of the steepest railway lines in the world and passes through some of the wildest and most spectacular scenery in Norway’s fjord country.
- - Hallingskeid
- - Finse – the railway’s highest point.
- - Haugastol – considered to have Norway’s most scenic bike path (Rallarvegen).
- - Ustaoset
- Geilo – one of Norway’s leading ski resorts.
Geilo to Oslo
- - Ål – the train starts coming down from the mountains.
- - Gol – has a replica of a stave church from 1200. The original was moved to the Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo in 1884.
- - Nesbyn
- - Flå – has a bear park that can be visited. This is an ancient bear habitat.
- - Hønefoss
- - Vikersund – has the world’s largest ski jump.
- - Hokksund
- - Drammen – has an excellent salmon river that can be viewed from the tracks.
- - Asker
- Lysaker – spotted a group of seals hanging out here.

The trip was about six and a half hours with 182 tunnels and the highest point 1,237 meters above sea level (roughly 4,058 feet). There was a café on the train, although lunch was included for those of us who were sightseers. A bag with a sandwich, some crisps, a brownie, and a bottle of water were delivered at lunchtime.

I didn’t really venture from my seat other than to visit the loo a couple of times. Our carry-ons were on a rack above our heads.

I had been expecting one of those domed cars that I have experienced with other scenic train rides and was disappointed that, although the scenery was quite lovely, the train’s car was just a standard car. Since I was in the aisle seat, I found it difficult to see out of the windows that well, much less take photos. I tried and deleted several photos as I mostly had pictures of reflections of the train’s interior. I also felt tired and like I was fighting a cold (likely from being chilled in Shetland), so I was getting grumpy about the time we arrived at Finse.

In addition to being the railway’s highest point. This was also where some of the scenes in the film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back were filmed. Polar explorers Nansen, Amundsen and Shackleton used the area around Finse as training grounds due to the area’s extreme conditions. This was also where I decided to take a photo of my seatmate’s foot. It was, after all, the only clear photo I could get. He gallantly offered to switch places with me. Although I still got some reflections, the level of my photography improved immediately. We did switch back later after we began to come down from the mountains. By that time, I had some good shots that I could keep and share.

Once we arrived in Oslo, we just had a short walk from the railway station to our hotel, which was the Radisson Blu. Then we needed to get our rooms. By the time I got into my room and got settled in, I was feeling like I was starting to go downhill health wise. I took some cold meds, had some dinner, and went to bed.

Next time – Post Cruise extension – A Day in Oslo

December 23, 2024

Viking British Isles Explorer Cruise: Touring Bergen and Bryggen

Located between the Hardangerfjord and the Sognefjord in western Norway, Bergen was officially founded by King Olav Kyrre in 1070. There was already a trading settlement there as far back as the 1020s or 1030s. By the early 13^th century Bergen (Bjorgvin) had become the capital of Norway and remained so until the 1830s when Oslo became the capital city.

The afternoon excursion for which I had signed up was called Panoramic Bergen. It was a combination of riding on the tour coach and walking around to explore parts of the city more thoroughly.

Just a short walk from the ship was Håkon´s Hall. King Håkon Håkonsson built Håkon´s Hall between 1247 and 1261 as a royal residence and feasting hall. It was the first of its kind built in stone. Good thing too as the mostly wooden Bergen has tended to have a lot of fires and has burned down several times.

Standing a short distance from Håkon´s Hall is the Rosenkrantz Tower, which is regarded as the most important Renaissance monument in Norway. It was built by Magnus the Lawmender in the 13^th century. The original building has been extended several times to increase the fortification of the building and to create offices for the governors of Bergen. In the 16^th century it became the governor’s castle.

When visiting the Rosenkrantz Tower, it is possible to see King Magnus Lagabøte’s bedroom, the chapel with its original altar, and the room on the ground floor where the guards lived. Underneath the guardsrooms are the dungeons, which were in use until the first half of the 19^th century. Up in the attic are several cannons. These were used only once in war, during the battle of Vågen in 1665.

During World War II, in 1944, the Rosenkrantz Tower was badly damaged when a cargo ship loaded with explosives blew up just outside. The upper floors collapsed and were rebuilt in the 1960s.

After a passing glimpse at Bryggen, we headed over to the Nordnes Peninsula to have a wonderful scenic view of much of the city. After taking some photos, we headed to the Nykirken i Bergen, which is the parish church of the Church of Norway in Bergen. The name Nykirken literally means “new church”. It was consecrated in 1622. The church has burned down a few times and rebuilt in the same place on the medieval foundations of the Archbishop’s Palace.

We started with the grave, just outside of the church, of a former pastor of the church who died in the early 1800s. Then we went under the church to take a good look at the old foundations.

Back up inside the church were mainly closed box pews that could seat over 750 people. Plus, there was an angel hanging from the ceiling aways in front of the altar that could be lowered by a pulley system to be just above the baptismal font whenever a baptism was performed. Composer Edvard Grieg was baptized in this church when he was a baby.

After leaving the Nykirken, we boarded the coach again and drove around more of Bergen until we got to the National Theater. The theater was founded in 1850 by Norwegian violinist Ole Bull to develop Norwegian playwrights. Henrik Ibsen was one of the first writers in residence and became an artistic director of the theater. There is a statue of Ibsen in front of the theater in the photo I have included. He looks a bit scary.

Ole Bull (1810 – 1880) was a virtuoso violinist and composer who was considered by some to be on the same level as Niccolo Paganini. Much like Mozart, he showed his talents at an early age. He was only four years old when he could play everything he heard his mother play on the violin. He was just nine years old when he became first chair in the orchestra of Bergen’s theater and was a soloist with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. By the time he reached adulthood, he had also become a major sex symbol of his day. His statue stands in a park a leisurely stroll away from the theater.

When Bergen was founded around 1070, the area in which it began was essentially where the part of the city called Bryggen (Tyskebryggen) is located today. The Hanseatic League was established there in about 1350. Although the area has been burned down many times over the centuries, it has been rebuilt each time on 15^th century stone cellars. Today Bryggen houses mainly museums, shops, restaurants and pubs.

The buildings visible from the water have several more buildings behind them (about 67 in all). Access to these buildings is via walkways through the buildings in front. The area behind is quite interesting – especially the museums, which give an idea of what life was like at the time in Bryggen.

Due to the likelihood of fire, there were ordinances against flames of any kind. This meant no candles or oil lamps. No heating. I would think that cooking wasn’t allowed either.

There was a hospital for lepers with a church next door. The church had a separate section for the lepers to keep them apart from the rest of the congregation.

Some of the houses date as far back as 1703 when they were rebuilt after the 1702 fire. However, there was another fire in the 1950s, so some houses were rebuilt at that time. There is a Radisson Blu hotel there. If I were to return to Bergen without benefit of a cruise ship, that might be a good place to stay.

Headed back to the ship to get packed. Those of us going on the Scenic Train Ride from Bergen to Oslo were supposed to have our large cases outside of our rooms by 10pm so they would be picked up and sent on to our hotel in Oslo. I was done by 6pm and so headed for the World Café for my last dinner onboard the ship. Sherry and Christina met up with me after a bit. They were flying home from Bergen the next morning. I still had a couple more days to go before I flew home.

Next time – Post Cruise extension – Scenic Train Ride from Bergen to Oslo