
Western Europe Wine Quest
Day One, La Havre and Honfleur, France
On the first day of our ten-day wine cruise, the scheduled shore excursion never got started because the bus never arrived. We had been told that lasting effects of the Pandemic could wreak havoc on scheduled events.
Kelly, our intrepid leader (the one with no red hat), took over, organizing an off-the-cuff wandering. First, a ship-sponsored shuttle bus into La Havre, followed by a tram to the downtown bus station. We got bus tickets to the small city of Honfleur. It was about an hour or so before the bus left, so some of us took a cab to the scenic Hanging Gardens in La Havre, a mid-19th-century fortress with manicured gardens.
La Havre
City of La Havre from atop the Hanging Gardens
War Memorial downtown. La Havre was decimated during WWII, suffering terrible civilian casualties.
Big Birds guarding City Hall (Hotel de Ville translates to City Hall)
Big Bird up close
Red Plant at the Gardens
Another view of La Havre
Honfleur
A crowded intra- city bus took us to the picturesque city of Honfleur. Known for its Vieux-Bassin (old harbor), lined with 16th- to 18th-century townhouses, the city was hosting a giant farmers market with booths lining the major streets. An outdoor lunch at an excellent small local restaurant, where no one spoke English, and wandering the streets filled the day.
Vieux-Bassin
The Market





Lunch!

Wandering
Cook's window
Artist's window

Old Harbor patrolled by a Duck
A return bus, tram ride and a 45 minute walk through beautiful La Havre got us back to the ship. Wonderful day.
See full size images at my gallery site: https://billterry1.smugmug.com/Places/Western-Europe-Wine-Quest-2022/
June 4, 2022