Western European Odyssey -
August/September 2009

When my dear wife Wendy sadly passed away in June 2008, I resolved to see as many places new to me as possible on this planet before I leave it myself.

My first trip was a blissful cruise from Tahiti to the French Polynesian islands of the South pacific, followed in those two wintry weeks of February by a cruise from Dubai to the Emirates and their incredibly opulent mosques, including the one at Muscat with its 8½ ton crystal chandelier! A short visit to Western Scandinavia brought the surprise discovery just a short walk from the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen of the Anglican Church of St Albans, looking for all the world as if it had been transplanted there from the heart of England.

On 24 August 2009 I set off on a ship leaving from Portsmouth to sites of interest in Western Europe. First call was up the River Seine to Rouen and a chance to see its famed Notre Dame Cathedral, which I had visited before, albeit over 40 years ago, and the Joan of Arc church, representing the pyre on which she was burned at the stake in 1431. It was built in 1979, but incorporates the original 16th century windows. There followed a visit to the world-renowned house and garden of Claude Monet at Giverny, which employs 7 full-time gardeners. Next to Nantes and its Gothic masterpiece of St Pierre Cathedral, a scenic tour of the Loire Valley and its chateaux (wine tasting!) and a visit to medieval Guérande, stylish La Baule and the mighty shipyards of St Nazaire - site of the ill-fated Allied raid in World War II.

Onward to the Gironde estuary and Bordeaux with its magnificent 13th century cathedral of St André. Then came what was for me a nostalgic journey to the source of my first ever red wine - the UNESCO heritage site of St Emilion with its “hill of a thousand vineyards” (more wine tasting!) and extraordinary 9th-12th century church, cloisters and catacombs - a real eye-opener. On then to our first call in Spain, Bilbao. Not being a great fan of modern art I passed on the Guggenheim Museum in favour of the old quarter with its hidden gem - the Renaissance San Vicente Church, finishing up at a typical Basque vineyard (more wine tasting, courtesy of Rioja!)

Next stop was the attractive port of Villagarcia de Arosa, just a short drive from Santiago de Compostela, with its mighty baroque tower cathedral, Jubilee Door and Shrine of St James the Apostle. Here I had the opportunity to attend the noon Pilgrims’ Mass (arrive an hour early to get a seat) and witness the awesome swinging of their huge incense burner - what would our Health and Safety people have to say about that? - which drew tumultuous applause from the huge congregation at its conclusion. The collection must have been pretty healthy from what I could see. This experience was followed by a sumptuous lunch in the luxurious 5-star Parador Dos Reis Catolicos, which claims to be the world’s oldest hotel and boasts a treasure trove of antiques in its highly-crafted interior. A welcome break came with arrival at Portugal’s second city, Oporto, where a picturesque lunch cruise along the River Douro culminated in a visit to Graham’s port wine cellars (more tasting!) Back to Spain and a voyage up the Guadalquivir River into the heart of Andalucia’s capital Seville with its vast Gothic cathedral - the largest in Spain and quite impossible to get into one photograph! Here we were privileged to have a private after-hours tour of the Alcázar, the Spanish Royal Palace for almost 700 years. The timing was better then in that the daytime temperature was 40°C (104° fahrenheit). Finally to Malaga where a 2-hour drive brought us to Granada and the massive Muslim-Hispano complex that is the Alhambra Palace, which, together with its Generalife Gardens was well up to expectations and the weather had relented a little to a more modest 37°C (99° fahrenheit). Well worth the effort. A day at sea to unwind brought us to Barcelona and the flight home, with so many memories to absorb.

Altogether a most rewarding fortnight, bringing as it did to me such a host of remarkable places in one single voyage. While I greatly admire the countless thousands who undertake their pilgrimage trek to Santiago de Compostela, with my advancing years and wonky knee I think that getting there on a ship departing from its berth just 10 miles from home was the preferable option!

Vic Brown