Does the idea of knowing everyone in a venue is vaccinated (or has a negative test result) appeal to you?

 Here's my take on European travel right now.

For the past two weeks Europe and I have enjoyed an enthusiastic reunion after almost two years (I’m talking to you, my music-loving Brennero Ballad group).

As I type, I’m sitting in a Being 787 at CDG waiting to fly home from Paris, sorry to see my time here end. I can’t begin to tell you how marvelous my whole trip has been.

Four Countries in Two Weeks

On July 27th I landed in Amsterdam, where it’s easy to spend lots of time outdoors, and the weather largely cooperated. From there I boarded the beautiful AmaSiena for her maiden voyage, a Rhine River cruise from Amsterdam to Basel.

Just before our sailing, AmaWaterways had updated its policy to only allow vaccinated passengers (as well as crew, tour guides, etc) aboard its ships until further notice. This gave me great peace of mind and the freedom to fully enjoy my cruise.

For many reasons, this was a special cruise. The Amsterdam tour guides were so excited to see the return of river cruising that about 50 of them serenaded us as we left the dock. Quite a sendoff!

The river cruise itself was a pleasure and an indulgence. The ship was gorgeous, the crew was incredible, and the whole experience was just about perfect. From wine tasting and walking tours to hiking and biking, there were activity and excursion offerings for everyone, and I tried to sample the whole array.

Paris is Always a Good Idea...

I added a few days in Paris to the end of the trip (because....Paris) and made a point of visiting some less well-known but fantastic art-focused attractions I had not visited in the past (Chantilly, 59 Rivoli, Marmottan).

I was previewing these Paris area attractions in particular for my Impressions of the Seine and Paris group next summer, with a Seine cruise bracketed by several days of art immersion on land. Our special guest host for this trip will be New Orleans artist Anne Cicero. (To learn more click here.)

I feel as though my love affair with Europe was hardly interrupted at all, and I was welcomed back with open arms. She is as beautiful and charming as ever, and she is waiting for you, too.

A Few Final Notes

Before saying farewell, it was relatively easy to conduct the US-required test for my return; I used an Abbott Labs BinaxNow kit in my hotel room, but I saw little Covid-testing tents in front of pharmacies all over Paris. Don't wait till the last minute, though! Take the test two days before your flight in case you need to repeat it.

All in all, it was really not so different from any other past trip to Europe, just with a mask on my face (which I routinely forget to remove when outside) and a vaccine card in my purse.

Travel to France with me next summer!

To hear more about my recent European trip as well as the Seine cruise next year, you have one last chance to sign up for my Virtual Sip and Sail event TOMORROW, Tuesday, August 10th, at 6:00pm CDT. Just click the link below to register. (If you can’t attend but would like to see the recording, please register anyway.)