I’ve long been a fan of getting the kids out of their comfort zones on vacation, whether hiking to the top of a mountain, whitewater rafting, trying a new sport like rock climbing or simply navigating in an unfamiliar city or country.
Lyon is at the confluence of the Rhone and Saone rivers (our room at the Sofitel overlooked the Rhone) and can be explored by foot, bike or on the water.
Let’s hear it for the mothers of Lyon! Theses “Meres Lyonnaises,” were credited, starting in the 18th Century, with turning the city of Lyon into the gastronomic center of France.
We are sitting under a big shade tree at a table set with beautiful green china and a jug of sunflowers overlooking vineyards first established in 1100 by Benedictine monks.
Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia enables kids to design their own temple starting with rusty “red stone,” using “sandstone” for the walls and towers, adding statues and gold on the rooftops. The real towers were nearly 200 feet tall.
Our AMASerena Cruise Director says some passengers will choose their next cruise based on their favorite crew member
Our AMAWaterways ship AMASerena is cruising in the Rhine Gorge where there are some 40 hilltop castles erected over a period of 1000 years as well as steep terraces planted with grapes
It’s tough in these cities where locals can’t find an affordable place to live, to eat, to shop in the central cities. It doesn’t help that so many tourists are blind to those concerns.
She opted for an AMAWaterways cruise on the Rhine River largely because “it was all organized for us and it’s a nice pace,” she explained.
Amsterdam is known for its canals, cyclists, and museums (If you plan to see many consider the IAMsterdam card which gives you admission to some 70 museums and sites)