Our last day!

We sailed over night back to Bordeaux...sort of.  We awoke to a lovely view of the rough cement wall to which we were docked in Bassin a Flot!  The cargo port of Bordeaux was not particularly attractive.  This has just been a weird cruise!

Elva and I were not sure of what we wanted to do.  I packed right after breakfast so as not to have to think about it later and then settled down in the lounge with my laptop.  Elva then packed.  Our 150 square foot cabin was not conducive to two people doing anything at the same time but sleeping!  Many of our travel friends headed out to Cap Ferat and the Bay of Arcachon.  I would have loved to do that too but the only option was to take the $199 Oyster Tour.  I wanted the scenery but nothing to do with oysters.  I wish there had been a less expensive version where we could have ridden along and explored on our own.  Maybe next time!

We delayed taking the hastily arranged complementary shuttle into the old city since we couldn't decide what exactly we wanted to do there.  We had been supposed to have a schedule walk about which was cancelled on Sunday in order to get to Cadillac.  Whenever we book a cruise we know that changes happen.  Viking is excellent at rearranging and rescheduling and compensating with this happens but, like I say, this week was exceptional.

As we enjoyed a quiet lunch in the main dining room where there was an especially delicious pork tenderloin offered.  We overheard a mother and daughter talking about how much they enjoyed their visit to La Cite Du Vin.  This new museum was being offered as an alternative activity.  At two o'clock Feliz would walk whoever was interested over to the glass wine bottle structure and pay the admission so we decided to do it.  Two seemed like a better wine option than when it was also done at ten a.m.  The visit concludes, you guessed it, with a wine tasting while viewing the city from the top floor -- 8th!

 I think it looks like a giant show but it is supposed to remind you 

of the wine swirling in a glass or bottle.

It was really exceptional and we were so happy that we decided to do it.  The interactive exhibits covered the history of wine back to Greece and Rome and the gods influence.  Boxes hung on the walls had scenes that when you scanned your ticket added holographic action.  Large displays allowed you to choose areas of France and learn more about their contributions to the industry.  There were glass cloches where you squeezed a little horn like bulb and could sniff the fragrances of so many things.  Others that you could combine scents to understand the the makeup of specific wines.

I had two favorite exhibits.  There was a movie in which various famous long dead oenophiles talked about which vintages were the best.  In one example of this little vignette Thomas Jefferson supported the growing of vines at his beloved Monticello with Plato while being served samples by Arthur Hitchcock!

Louis XIV and Marie Callas express their opinions.

My other favorite was a game in which you selected a food which appeared in a beautifully framed classic painting of a dinner table and paired it with a wine.  A glass was then poured and drunk.  How well you succeeded was demonstrated by how much of the wine was drunk.  I did well with dessert by pairing it with Port!  Other than that I only had mild success teaming up white wines with fish and red with steak!

There was lots of wine themed art including some featuring some rather erotic little movies.

 Elva enjoyed the relaxing views of the history of wine that were displaying on the ceiling. 

After about two hours were were not even through the whole museum but decided to go down to the lobby to take the elevator up to the eighth floor.  Someone had dropped a ticket along the way which I had picked up.  Hate seeing trash on the floor.  The girl at the elevator scanned my ticket and I tried to give her the other.  She scanned it and said to just keep it and have a second sample since there was no way to know who dropped it!

This museum had an amazing wine bar on the first floor and two fine restaurants.  On the top floor was the tasting room.  We walked outside and enjoyed views that reminded us how lucky we had been to be in this beautiful city and the nearby lands for a full week.  I then tried a Rose which was delicious.  Elva had Chardonnay.  I offered her my extra ticket but she was contentedly sipping her sample.  I then had a sparkling wine that was really very good.  I took pictures of the labels and maybe I can find them here if I need to bring wine to a party!

Very delicious!

We found a seat on an oddly shaped little ottoman that was configured for three.  A group of men who must have been part of a traveling choral group burst into song and it was just such a wonderful ending to a wonderful trip!  We enjoyed the performance as others joined into the lively German song and swayed in an ever growing circle!


Back at the ship we had a Farewell toast by Brian and then a special surf and turf last meal!  Not a lobster lover, I passed the split tail on to Bill and enjoyed the perfectly cooked Fillet Mignon.   We were at a table with people we hoped would remain friends.  Barbara and Bill with whom we had shared many meals both on board and ashore;  Sarah and John from nearby Huntsville, Alabama who had been on the Loire valley pre-trip with us; and nursing friends Carol and Nancy.  One is retired and the other still works in an ER.

The day which had turned out to be delightful after an iffy start came to a perfect ending!  Time to retire for the night as we would be up at six a.m. to head home.