Tag Archives: cruise ship

November 29, 2013 · 5:35 am

Fun Photo Friday — MS Ryndam Photo Contest

Regular followers of this blog will recall that I asked for their assistance in choosing pictures to enter into the MS Ryndam’s photo contest for this cruise (H*E*L*P — Advice Needed). Passengers were allowed one entry in each of four categories. Those categories and the associated entries you helped me to select were:

Landscapes:

Guesthouse — The Bicycle

Objects:

Door Framed in Blue

People:

The Cell Phone Break

and Animals:

“Sure Hope Nobody’s Watchin’ This”

Results? Pretty good. You’ll recall that my first inclination for the people category was to enter this little gem, but you all overwhelmingly talked me out of it:

The Smoke Break

You were right and I was wrong. Your choice took first place. Thanks, readers.

Also in first was my entry for the Animals category.

Two out of four categories. I’ll take that as a win any day, thanks to you all.

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Filed under Photography, travel

Tagged as cruise ship, Holland America, MS Ryndam, photo contest, photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel

November 27, 2013 · 5:35 am

Casing Cassis

Cassis Panorama

After Aix-en-Provence our intrepid band of merry travelers loaded back into the Mercedes minivan and continued on to Cassis (not the blackcurrant berry but rather the fishing village and beach resort). Our first view of this picturesque village occurred when we crested the hills above and set out on foot on Cap Canaille — the highest sea cliffs in France.

Cassis as seen from Cap Canaille

The main show however wasn’t the view. It was the nearby group rappelling down those cliffs from heights that made me cringe just thinking about it.

Are You NUTS?!?!?!

Why, Yes . . . I Am Nuts as a matter of fact!

After making our way down from the cliffs, we were greeted by an exquisite little village right out of 1950s French cinema. Oh, and, the cheese was great.

Pretty Cheesy Merchandise, if you ask me

Ursula and I bought some and later put it on a couple of ham-laden baguettes during our lunch break in Marseille. Here’s today’s photo gallery of this seaside charmer:

Cassis Beach

Cassis

Cassis Fishing Boats

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Filed under Photography, travel

Tagged as Cassis, cruise ship, France, Holland America, MS Ryndam, photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel

November 25, 2013 · 5:35 am

Putting All Your Aix En One Provence

Laying Aix en Provence

I know. Bad pun. Couldn’t resist. After Monaco it was off for a day in Marseille with a mini-tour of Aix-en-Provence and Cassis. I’ll get to Cassis on Wednesday and Marseille next Monday. The reason Marseille will wait until next week is because I will reveal on Fun Photo Friday how my entries fared in the MS Ryndam’s photo contest.

Aix-en-Provence Fountain

We arrived by minivan to Aix-en-Provence well before this city of 143,000 had come to life for the day. As such the streets and sidewalks were pleasantly empty, and the cafés lightly populated.

Empty Streets one early morning in Aix-en-Provence

But soon after arrival the markets came to life, with street vendors selling fresh fruits, cheeses, and even a dizzying array of mushrooms.

Fresh Fruits in Aix-en-Provence

Say, “Cheese”

Q. By the way, what do you call a mushroom that buys a round of drinks for everyone at the local bar?

Fun Guys in Aix-en-Provence

A: A fungi.

The most prominent historical figure from this area was of course Post-Impressionist painter (and a personal favorite) Paul Cézanne. So revered is Mssr. Cézanne that not only is he immortalized in bronze, but even his common haunts are memorialized with little brass medallions imbedded into the sidewalks.