Cyprus, the island of love, home to the wine of kings and the king of wines!
Cyprus COUNTRY ROLL No 47 : Cyprus, the original island of love. Did you not know that Aphrodite, the goddess of love, was born in Cyprus, just off what is now appropriately called Aphrodite’s Beach. Cyprus is also home to the oldest wine in the world, the sweet dessert wine commandaria. In the 12th century,…
COUNTRY ROLL No 32 : Canada, grande terre de mes aieux!
Canada. COUNTRY ROLL No 32 : Canada, grande terre de mes aieux, vast land of my forebears! The Gagnon family arrived in Quebec City in 1637, having been convinced by Robert Giffard, who was apothecary on Samuel de Champlain’s ship, to sign up for a new life in what was then called Nouvelle France, later…
Grasse, France ~ The scent of a woman …
Grasse France. We had saved today for the historic and hilly town of Grasse, the world capital of perfume, located about ten miles up the hills of the Maritime Alps behind Cannes. The small town of Grasse still accounts for two thirds of France’s production of perfume essence and food flavorings. The hills around…
Chongqing : Mountain city, foggy city
Chongqing China : Our day in Chongqing ! Read our previous posting at “National Rail travel from Chengdu to Chongqing !” This is nothing short of fantastic. As I am sitting down to write this blog, in the observation lounge on deck 5 of our cruise ship down the Yangtze river, the speaker system is…