{"id":21110,"date":"2014-10-29T18:14:21","date_gmt":"2014-10-29T18:14:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/avidcruiser.com\/livevoyagereports\/?page_id=7282"},"modified":"2016-06-29T08:11:34","modified_gmt":"2016-06-29T14:11:34","slug":"day-3-blaye","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/live-voyage-reports\/viking-forseti-chateaux-rivers-wine\/day-3-blaye\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 3 – Blaye"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stepping Back In Time In Blaye<\/h3>\n
\"Blaye's<\/a>

Blaye’s picturesque Citadel has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site…and Viking Forseti docked right next to it. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

– C. Fields<\/p>\n

Aaron Saunders, Live Voyage Reports<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

November 24, 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today, Viking River Cruises\u2019 Viking Forseti<\/em><\/strong> sailed into the sleepy little town of Blaye, France<\/strong>. Though there are two berthing locations in Blaye, we lucked out today, with a prime docking location right next to Blaye\u2019s historic Citadel.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A quiet Viking Forseti in the early morning hours of November 24. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

In the early morning hours, the only thing quieter than the town of Blaye was the good ship Viking Forseti<\/em>, whose inhabitants were sleeping in after a long and wonderful night of wine, food, dancing, more wine, and good cheer. In fact, the guests onboard the Viking Forseti<\/em> participated in the most active nightlife I\u2019ve ever seen on a river cruise ship. I won\u2019t say who shut the bar down (certainly not the Canadians!), but the fact that I know the time of this exit \u2013 around 1:30 a.m. \u2013 should provide a clue.<\/p>\n

\"Good<\/a>

Good Morning! A towel animal with a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign greeted me after I’d returned to my room from breakfast. Cool touch. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

The Lounge was busy until well past one in the morning. People twice my age were up there on the dance floor, dancing five times better than I could. Drinks were flowing, the crew were having a good time, and Sylvia \u2013 Viking Forseti<\/em>\u2019s talented onboard pianist and vocalist \u2013 kept us all musically entertained well into the night.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s perhaps no surprise, then, that Viking planned for this to be a lazy morning. We departed Pauillac at 6:30 AM, and tied up in Blaye at 8:00 AM, with the first organized excursion to visit the Blaye Citadel starting at 9:30 AM on-the-dot. I like and appreciate that Viking has their excursions depart on-time; announcements are made ten or fifteen minutes prior to the tour’s departure, and the responsibility to be on the coaches or pierside is left up to the guests.<\/p>\n

\"Viking<\/a>

Viking Forseti docked in Blaye, France. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/p><\/div>\n

One of the best aspects of river cruising is that you have the ability to participate in the inclusive tours or the optional (additional-cost) tours \u2013 but only if you want. In my case, with the Blaye Citadel so close at hand, I joined some fantastic fellow Canadians that I had become friends with and together, we set out to create our very own walking tour of Blaye and the Citadel.<\/p>\n

But before we get to that, here\u2019s what\u2019s happening onboard Viking Forseti <\/em>today:<\/p>\n

\n