Category Archives: cruises

Birthplace of the Amazon River, Peru

Posted on June 13, 2022 by travelbynatasha

Our Amazon River Cruise is starting in Iquitos, Peru, a large city for the country with almost 500,000 residents (even more if you consider the squatters and the metro area) and a gateway city to the Amazon. It is the … Continue reading →

Posted in cruises, international, River Cruise | Tagged Amazon, Amazon Aria, Amazon River, Iquitos, Maranon River, Pacaya Samiria Reserve, Peru, Pink Dolphins, Polka Dot Tree Frog, Red Tree Boa, skiff, Sloth, Squirrel Monkey, Ucayali River, water lettuce | 1 Comment

Natasha Goes to Peru

Posted on June 9, 2022 by travelbynatasha

Boris and I are off again; this time on a river cruise on the Amazon River in Peru, followed by a visit to several Inca heritage sites, including Manchu Picchu. We are fortunate to be able to fly directly to … Continue reading →

Posted in cruises, international, River Cruise | Tagged Amazon Aria, Callao, Country Club Lima Hotel, Huaca Pucllana, Lima, Museum Larco, Uniworld | 2 Comments

A Postscript to our French River Cruise

Posted on September 5, 2021 by travelbynatasha

Our last night on board, we had to do our packing. Luckily breakfast started at 6:15 am, so we were able to enjoy one last scrumptious meal before our 6:45 am disembarkation from the ship. If you arrive and depart … Continue reading →

Posted in cruises, international, River Cruise | Tagged France, Lufthansa, United Airlines, Uniworld | Leave a comment

Last Touring Day in France: Arles, Olives, and an Artist Light Show

Posted on August 31, 2021 by travelbynatasha

Today is our last touring day in France. We will visit Van Gogh’s Arles, an olive farm, and see an artist’s light show that is touring internationally in its birthplace. Normally we would take the morning tour and pack in … Continue reading →

Posted in cruises, international, River Cruise | Tagged Arles, Carrieres de Lumieres, Cezanne The Master of Provence, France, Kandinsky the Odyssey of Abstraction, Les Baux de Provence, Place de la Republique, Roman arena, Roman ruins, Roman theater, Uniworld, Van Gogh | Leave a comment

Avignon in the Burgundy Region of France

Posted on August 30, 2021 by travelbynatasha

Today we are in the beautiful French city of Avignon in Burgundy. This is one of the few remaining cities that has all its city walls still in place; the walls stretch for over three miles. At our berth along … Continue reading →

Posted in cruises, international, River Cruise | Tagged Avignon, France, Les Halles, Palace of the Popes, Palsis des Papes, Papal Curio, Pont Benezet, Uniworld | Leave a comment

Viviers and Grignan, France, and a Truffle Dog

Posted on August 28, 2021 by travelbynatasha

If a town could ooze charm, this is it. Today we are in Viviers, France right on the Rhone. This well-preserved medieval town thrived in both the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Some writers call it an “architectural open-air museum”. … Continue reading →

Posted in cruises, international, River Cruise | Tagged Belvedere of Chateauvieux, black truffles, boulodrome, France, Grignan, Madame de Sevigne, Maison des Chevaliers, petanque, Saint-Sauveur College Church, Saint-Vincent Cathedral, truffle dog, Truffle Farm, Vivivers, white truffles | 1 Comment

The Twin Cities of Tain L’ Hermitage and Tournon, France along the Rhone River

Posted on August 27, 2021 by travelbynatasha

After sailing all night on the Rhone, we are docked at Tain L’ Hermitage, France for a visit to the twin cities of Tain L’ Hermitage and Tournon. After breakfast, we walked over to the historic Romanesque church built on … Continue reading →

Posted in cruises, international, River Cruise | Tagged France, Hermitage Hill, Rhone, Rhone River, St. Julian's Church, Tain L' Hermitage, Tournon, Uniworld | Leave a comment

Lyon, France

Posted on August 23, 2021 by travelbynatasha

Our ship has returned to Lyon for a day in the city. We will not leave until midnight tonight. Lyon is the third largest city in France behind Paris and Marseille. There were a variety of tour options presented for … Continue reading →

Posted in cruises, international, River Cruise | Tagged Basilica Notre Dame de Fourviere, Bouchons Lyonnnais, Croix Rousse, France, Lyon, Place Bellecour, Red Pralines, Rhone River, Saone River, Tour Metallique de Fourviere, traboules, Uniworld | Leave a comment

An International Traveler Again

Posted on August 19, 2021 by travelbynatasha

There has been a long drought, but Natasha is once again an international traveler. Boris and I left today for France to take a river cruise through Burgundy and Provence. The rules continue to change-including a change in COVID testing … Continue reading →

Posted in cruises, international, River Cruise | Tagged France, SS Catherine, Uniworld | Leave a comment

Headed home from Vietnam during COVID-19

Posted on March 23, 2020 by travelbynatasha

Today we are trying to get home to Houston Texas from Vietnam as worldwide panic has set in over COVID-19. Boris was convinced that he would sleep through the night knowing we had flights in the morning. It didn’t work … Continue reading →

Posted in cruises, international, River Cruise | Tagged Ho Chi Minh City, Houston, Saigon, Uniworld, Vietnam | Leave a comment