Stuck in Bordeaux

April 21 - We were supposed to cruise to Cadillac but there has been too much rain and they don't know if we can go back and forth to Cadillac. The boat tied up next to us "kissed the bridge" as they say and damaged a rail. We will end up busing to a castle near Cadillac. 

Breakfast is a muffin on the go since I decide sleep is more important. I nap on the bus as its an hour ride. It's a family owned castle that has been in the family for many generations. It managed to escape many wars and destruction in the French Revolution. They have chapel onsite.

It's still used by the family. 

We can take pictures in here. 

Windows were added (replaced arrow slits) in renovation to make it more livable in the late 1800s. 

The castle is very nice but we can't take pictures inside. We also don't get to see the modernization living quarters. However we do see the old kitchen which is still used today. 

Here is a tower from the old wall. 

We return around 1 for a late lunch. 

Confit chicken gizzards, cheese and soup. 

Roast turkey

After lunch Burt does a cognac tasting. 

This is a smaller producer that will have more variability in the cognac taste to versus large houses that mix hundreds of barrels to keep the taste same. 

He serves the cognac in champagne glasses. Some one asks why not in brandy glasses as its a form of brandy. He likes it cold not heated so he prefers the champagne glasses. He then goes on to tell the Riedel glass story. For those who don't know Riedel did a tasting for wine critics with different glasses to show how the shape effects the wine. Burt used to carry wine glasses with him when he went out to dinner back in the day since restaurants didn't have the different glasses at that time. 

After his talk is over we talk with Burt more. We discuss the demographics of the passengers and how we are youngest except for the scenic employees and the some of a travel agents. He says he doesn't worry about it on his charter cruises as his fans are all PBS weird. We discuss our travels. He says to email him and will send us Venice information. 

He tells us a few stories as well. When he worked for CNN, Ted Turner always told him to get the shot and ask for forgiveness later. He talks about hiding a cameras and paying bribes. His best story is about going to the Vatican to film. They have all their ducks in a row and met with a cardinal who tells him it's not a good time. Burt decides not to back down. He tells the cardinal that Catholics in America are going through a very trying time with the abuse scandal. He feels a higher power has sent him to the Vatican to do this piece and help Catholism in America. The cardinal comes back later and grants them access. Later he finds out this is when the pope was sick and they wanted to keep it under wraps. As they are credentialed and temporary citizens of the Vatican they can move about. When the pope dies he has access and his colleagues are on the outside. 

I wander around town to surprise my lovely. 

4.30 euro seems like a good deal to me. 

I make it back just in time for the port talk at 6:45. We have dinner in the main dining room. 

Smoked trout mousse and lox. 

Croquet and marinara. 

Artichoke soup

Roast pork

Tart tatin 

Cheese plate

Hazel nut ice cream 

After dinner we team up with a couple from Michigan to play music trivia. This is not going to end well. Basically the on board musician plays part of a song and you get one point for the title and one for the artist. Also they play a song in between and someone from your team needs to dance to get another bonus point. The songs are all over the board from American classics, opera, European stuff that no one has a clue about since everyone is from North America. Of course they play the Macarena. That is bad enough however this guy is dancing with this blank stare on his face. I've never seen Randy Quaid do the Macarena but for whatever reason he reminds the four of us of him. It was hilarious but one of those things you need to see to appreciate. We finish dead last.