I was more than excited to visit Strasbourg, France on day six of my cruise. It was nearly 10 years ago when I lived and studied abroad in Strasbourg. The city is filled with history, charm, culture and modern amenities. Strasbourg has been Germany and France many times over the century and because of this has such a unique blend of the two cultures.
The cruise provides a lot free time to explore Strasbourg. You will usually start with a guided small bus tour and then continue walking through the old city with your guide. I won't lie, once I got to the old part of the city I took my band of friends (that I had made throughout the trip) and ditched my guide to explore my city on my own. Make sure to stop in a bakery and get a French baguette and a cafe au lait. No one else in the world can make baguettes like the French and the coffee is oh so delicious. And if you can find the room in your stomach, try some french pastries and make sure to get a Tarte Flambee. Tarte Flambee is an Alsatian specialty you won't want to miss!
The Christmas Markets in Strasbourg are of course wonderful. I liked the change from Germany to France. You will see different kinds and styles of merchandise in the stalls as well as different foods. That is one of the great things about a Rhine River Cruise - you get to experience more than one culture!
It rained throughout the entire day in Strasbourg and even though I was soaked, it was completely worth it. My band of friends and I thouroughly enjoyed the beauty and culture of Strasbourg. Make sure to take your time in the 1200 year old cathedral, visit Le Palais Rohan if you have time (right next to the cathedral) and eat as much food as you possibly can!
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.