Rhone Day 3: The Van Gogh

The Van Gogh was a delightful small river boat from the Croisi Europe line that initiated river cruises. We were 90 passengers, less than half what is on a Viking Longboat.

There are lots of low bridges in Lyon and we were quickly instructed to duck at the call, "Low bridge!"

There were also lots of locks--a dozen each direction since we returned to Lyon at the end of our cruise. They took us past hydroelectric dams. 

We were a music crowd, and the joy of traveling with Minnesota Orchestra is the recitals on board every evening before dinner. Our musicians were Jon Kimur Parker and his wife violinist Aloysia Friedman.

Jackie, as he likes to be called, is an amazing pianist who used to be the summer artistic director for the symphony. I first remember him from the fabulous four piano concerts they have given. That's not 4-hand piano (two people playing one piano), but four artists on four grand pianos all playing together. Aloysia is the founder of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival in the San Juan Islands of NW Washington State. Sounds like a place we HAVE to visit.

Jackie's ninety-year-old mother was along on this trip. She taught piano along with music history and music theory. Sounds like quite a home to grow up in. Another son is a concert pianist, and her daughter puts together portfolios for new musicians. In her retirement she is translating all the Jane Austin novels into Japanese.

This first evening was only a teaser for what was to come.

*Johannes Brahms – Scherzo from F-A-E Sonata (to complement hearing the Brahms’ 3^rd Symphony in Paris)

*Edward Elgar – Salut D’Amour (to complement hearing Elgar’s Sea Pictures in Paris)

The dinner table was aglitter each evening with glasses for red wine, glasses for white, and glasses for water. (Only one water glass per person although both still (silver cap) and sparkling (gold cap) were on the table.

As I recall the starter the first night was a lovely paté.

This was the pork entreé although I often took the fish. Fabulous every time. My husband is not a fan of fish so this was my chance.

And then there was desert.

 Tomorrow we will visit another winery.