Tag Archives: Brigitte Hubert

Rosie’s 2018 Adventures in Alsace, France con’t

Wednesday was an amazing day touring the only French concentration camp: Struthof in the town of Natzweiler. It was originally a small ski resort, very far from most towns, hidden away from the local Alsatian population. We were totally fascinated by the adjacent museum’s informative displays, photographs of both World Wars including an explanatory video of how the destruction of WWI and ensuing political environment evolved to create the political environment which hatched WWII.

Outside the museum are the concentration camp’s original barbed wire fences along with the watchtowers. There were three barracks open to the public…they were  rebuilt to be like the original ones….this was the very first concentration camp discovered by the Allies…left intact due to a hasty German departure. Unfortunately, most of the camp barracks were burned down more recently by neo-Nazis to hide the truth. A small oven to burn human bodies was intact. Just outside the camp was the commandant’s home appropriated from a local even equipped with a pool. A little drive away, was a building used as one of the first gas chambers constructed to test the efficacity of different air poisons.

This entire area was hidden in wooded foothills. Germans had discovered a small pink granite mine there and determined to turn it into a quarry to furnish materials for the new Regime’s huge buildings in the Alsatian region which they had annexed into a German state during WWII. This concentration camp held strictly political prisoners from all over Europe.

That evening we were invited to Eric’s Aunt’s former sister in-law’s Elisabeth and Andre Claus’ home for a special family reunion hosted in her backyard in the nearby town of Niedershaeffolsheim (now that’s a mouthful!).

Elisabeth & Andre Engel-Claus

Her husband, Andre is so particular with his garden that the grounds seem as clean as a kitchen floor. They invited us to a traditional Alsatian Sauerkraut dinner – one of the regionally renowned dishes complete with various exquisite mouth-watering sausages, smoked pork, lardon, potatoes, sauerkraut of course, and other side dishes all served with traditional Alsatian wines. The dinner started off with champagne. Normally this dish is not served in the summer as it is heavy. Meant mostly for winter, but an exception was made for our visit per Eric’s request. The sauerkraut is Andre’s specialty following a very precise family recipe. Dessert was a scrumptious chocolate cake served with Eau de vie. Joined at our outdoor table were Elizabeth’s and George’s children, their spouses and grandchildren plus Aunt Annie’s brother George who came from Strasbourg for the occasion of our visit. Eric and Leslie gave them gifts from Venice of special Venetian glass which they loved.

Strasbourg was on our menu for Thurs, July 19th. We arrived around 10 am, meeting up again with our tour guide extraordinaire: Miriam, hubby (and baby). The first place they led us was to the Ponts-Couverts. There were several picturesque covered bridges over the Ill River (splitting into 5 branches) which controlled the level of water through the canals via Vauban’s Dam, built during the reign of King Louis XIV. These bridges are presently protected by three remaining out of 5 massive square watch towers complete with archer apertures on both sides. The towers and bridges are the last traces of a wall that surrounded the city in the Middle Ages. When the arches of the bridges were closed, the river water was diverted to flood the land South of the town, causing enemy armies to flounder in mire. During the French Revolution, the towers were converted into prison cells. In the Petite France quarter, we were delighted with the fabulous huge half-timber houses…it is the wealthy section of town. Our visit awarded us exquisite visions of quaint beauty never seen before.  Here we saw how a quaint turntable bridge, Pont du Faison, worked over one of the canals allowing pedestrians and tour boats to pass alternately. Everywhere we were in awe of overwhelming charm. Miriam and her husband, both school teachers, knew well their city’s history, so it was a delight to spend the day with them.

Walking further we arrived at the famous Strasbourg Notre-Dame Cathedral, towering majestically over the local streets. At that point Miriam’s sister Rachel completed our group whom Eric and Leslie had spent time with in Ventura.

Strasbourg Notre-Dame Cathedral

We joined the inside tour of the Cathedral in order to view the working Mechanical Clock, an engineering masterpiece of old dating from the 16thcentury Renaissance with completed restorations in 1842. “Its mechanism is unique in the world and was constructed as an application of a scientific theory. Every day at 12:30 pm its automata come to life in the fascinating ‘Apostle’s Parade.’” It features the rotation of the 12 apostles above the face, with cherubs, death images, bonging and a rooster who pops out to cock-a-doodle-doo! This clock accurately forecasts the date of Easter, sunsets, eclipses, etc. Truly amazing work of art and engineering. An astounding marvel in an age before computers. If it were built today with computers, it would still be considered amazing.

Strasbourg Notre-Dame Cathedral Mechanical Clock

After the Cathedral, we walked over to Gutenberg Square. On the way, we passed by Saint Thomas Church, the first Lutheran reformation church, once Catholic but converted  by Martin Bucer, who’s statue we saw located in the Gutenberg Square. Martin Bucer’s printing workshop is still located outside the city where presumably he printed bibles in the vernacular.

Strasbourg street sign
Saint Thomas Church
Martin Bucer in Gutenberg Square

We met Anne-Marie and Francois Hubert (Nicolas and baby) for lunch. Five years prior, we hosted them at our home in Oakland and we were so looking forward to meeting up with them again. Anne-Marie stayed on to walk with us after the rest of the family left – the baby needed his nap! We later took her home and toured their lovely modern home and garden.

Anne-Marie Hubert and Rosie Dennis

Upon returning back north to Surbourg, we had a light farewell dinner of sausages with the Keizers under the lovely willow tree served with hot pretzels, mustard and more delicious wine! How delightful to be secure with friends under their beautiful weeping tree: cool, refreshing, and comforting after a very full day. Because this was the last time we would be seeing the Keizer family, I gave Brigitte Keizer my bedazzled in rhinestones black hat which she had coveted.

Chez Keizer under the willow tree

On Friday, everyone but me went to see Sandra and Denny’s new house (children of Elizabeth & George (Annie’s brother).

Visit with Sandra and Dany Engel with Papa George Engel and daughter Elena’s new home featured behind

Later met at 7 Fountains Farm Restaurant where we met up with Corinne and Adrian Ruffy, dear niece of Annie whose son Thibault spent quality time with Bryce sailing sabots in Ventura. We enjoyed a tour of their home.

With Corinne and Adrien Ruffy

Corinne offered coffee and busily prepared a delicious mousse with her incredible kitchen machine Thermomix TM 5 (Vorwerk) that both cooks and ices. It’s not sold in the US yet…very expensive…but oh so handy. I want one! The day included a visit to Fleckenstein Castle ruins surrounded by beautiful forest area. They demonstrated the ancient art of making charcoal…not an easy task. That evening, Brigitte joined us at a local restaurant specializing in the boys’ favorite Alsatian dish: tart flambée. Leslie entertained everyone singing her favorite party aria: Quando m’en vo by Puccini. The locals were pleasantly surprised.

Our last day in Alsace, the kids were invited for breakfast with Elisabeth and George’s son Michael, wife and teenage daughter at their home. A very old home, they had painstakingly restored it maintaining an authentic half-timber house exterior, while the interior was completely modern. Neat!

Michael, Danielle and Luna Engel’s home

The afternoon was made incredibly special by Brigette’s next door neighbors, Lili and Francois Werner. This couple have made a museum out of their property…he has collected every known tool and organized them so particularly that it was impossible to not be in awe of his displays. We smiled broadly as we toured through their home decorated with outlandish French furnishings and mysteries. Truly something to be glad that I don’t have to clean….Our “aperitif” meal consisted of about 10 different courses of small bites…yummie, fun, very special experience offered by two completely charming and loving people. I’ll never forget the happiness they shared just to serve us and show us their beloved collections and intriguing decorations. Francois has used his mastery of working with wrought iron to make large pieces as ornaments for his beautiful garden floral displays. They also have a pristine old red car (Peugeot 201,1934) Often they dress in era clothing to drive in special occasions. They surely have all the appropriate, snappy outfits in their closet. Both very talented, handsome, generous friends of Leslie and Eric – now ours also.

Chez Francois et Lili Werner with Brigitte Hubert

Our day was topped by meeting up again with Corrine and Adrian Ruffy first at a local winery called Cleebourg where we got to taste and purchase exquisitely delicious wines. Then onwards to visit the Village de Gites de Hunspach, a sweet old village where Aunt Annie’s godmother Getel came from and where the two got married. Afterwards, they especially wanted to share with us that evening a very special annual event held nearby called Streisselhochzeit à Seebach: an Alsatian festival with parade, dancing, traditional dress, innumerable food choices and many outside open eating areas all held in a residential community in and among people’s precious flower-laden timber homes. Many of the homes had their own specialty food or craft to offer. Beer was flowing, intricate costumes and head dresses abounded with lots of activities, young people and live music… The local turnout was huge! We felt so very privileged to appreciate this event while visiting Alsace.

It was sad to leave Alsace. I never knew how gorgeous the region was. After breakfast with Brigitte, we said our heartfelt goodbye’s and hit the road at 9:00am. Our 8 days in Alsace were uplifting and Loved the beauty of Alsace and will treasure our memories forever.

by Rosie Dennis with additions from Leslie Dennis Rigney

Rosie’s July 2018 Adventures in Alsace, France

July 14 through July 17 –

Arriving in the afternoon at the quaint village of Merkviller-Peschelbraun, Alsace, France, we unloaded our suitcases into an old ‘haunted’ homestead owned by Eric’s Aunt Annie’s cousin Brigitte Hubert. Remarkably, this home held the six of us comfortably, (the boys swore they heard unusual creaking noises) becoming a haven of rest when needed as we were very busy for the next 8 days. Brigitte has four sons. Three of them enjoyed extended stays at Hotel Eric n Leslie over the years.

Quickly we drove to nearby Surbourg to visit other friends of Eric and Leslie, the Keizer family (even Julie their daughter was in town from Australia with her fiancé Blake). Eric and Leslie were so looking forward to meeting the parents, Brigitte and Harold, for the first time. When Bryce and Trent were little, Eric and Leslie hosted Julie at their home twice, initially introduced through Auntie Annie’s Alsatian/California train. They helped Julie obtain an internship at Sony and later aided in getting her a job with one of Eric’s friends who filmed commercials. Never having met the parents, Eric and Leslie then invited Joris, Julie’s 16-year-old brother to come for a summer to improve his English. The exchanges proved to be life changing for all and they have since remained in close contact. So, we now have an extended Alsatian family and they have an extended American family.

Chez Keizer with Joris on the far right

The Keizers welcomed us with refreshments in their gorgeous modern home before we walked to their favorite restaurant to consume many orders of a special Alsatian dish called: tarte flambée…served with wine and beer. Tarte flambée is somewhat like a pizza, but rectangular with a thin, crunchy crust and a cream base instead of a tomato paste base. Yum yum. Because it was their July 14th celebration of Bastille Day, the youngers went off to watch fireworks in the nearby town center with the locals. Ron and I returned back home with Brigette and crashed.

Tarte flambée Alsacienne

Back to the Keizers the next morning for breakfast: Danish lovelies and World Cup cakes in the shape of Soccer jerseys colored bleu, blanc, rouge!!

Celebratory cakes for the 2018 World Cup!

All of us then drove to the beautifully green and lush city of Baden Baden in Germany, a wealthy small city a bustle with shopping tourists. An old fashion car show attracted some of our guys, while the rest of us enjoyed a casual walk along the pristine city center. Our lunch was at a traditional German beer garden, Löwenbräu Biergarten, serving what else? Beer and sausages, accompanied by accordian music.

Then off we went to the ruins of a nearby medieval castle for a refreshing hike in the cooling rain on that hot n humid day. At the top, we could see Baden Baden and the valley up to the Rhine river marking the border between Germany and Alsace.

Baden Baden High Castle
Baden Baden from the old castle

Again, that evening, the Keizers lavished us with hors d’oeuvres, wine and a BBQ of scrumptious local sausages while hotly engaged watching the World Cup. After the fantastic win, the guys went off to Haguenau to watch the crazy French impromptu crowds gathered to celebrate the World Cup French Victory. Whoopee! What a coup to be in France July 15thon such an historic occasion winning the 2018 FIFA Soccer World Cup against Croatia?

On Monday Brigette provided delicious coffee, rolls, and fruit from her own trees. There is a small garden on her property where fruit trees offer small apples, etc. The house is where her parents lived and died. It remains in the family as a summer home. Stairs are creaky, rooms full of Alsatian antiques…boys think the house has ghosts. Perhaps…

Hubert Family home in Merkviller-Peschelbraun

We joined the Keizers to go to nearby L’Arbri War Museum in Hatten, Alsace chuck full of Alsatian historical living and remnants of the WWI and WWII periods. Most fascinating was walking into a large bunker, part of the Maginot Line. About 30 were built along the Rhine, across 100 miles. Inside were many war machines left by all countries involved in both wars.

Maginot Line exterior bunker

A huge lunch of baeckeoffe casserole (3 kinds of meats and vegetables baked all day) like a stew, was held at the Keizers’ again. Then off we went to another small village called Betschdorf known for a traditional Alsatian homestead open for tourists and colorful Alsatian pottery, where we got a chance to view the workers painting the charming scenes and flourishes. On the way home, we stopped off at a park created especially for their endemic bird: The Stork. We had no idea how large the birds were.

Rosie exiting one of the many Alsatian pottery stores

There were two parent storks feeding two adolescents. The big nest was crowded when everyone was home. At one point an adult, angered at something, starting screeching and flapping its wings making a loud ruckus. What a performance!

Alsace Mascot: Stork

With Brigitte on Tuesday, we had planned a tour of Colmar, the second largest city in the area. On the way there, Leslie and Eric’s friend Miriam from Strasbourg met us in Kaysersberg to give us a tour of the darling village where old homes were actually built right over the rather fast flowing tributary. So utterly charming. Geraniums flourished in front of shuttered windows…bright red flowers everywhere. Half-timbered homes on the bottom, half plastered on top. Leslie and I bought the cutest white paper luminaries in the shape of Alsatian girls for keepsakes and Eric just had to purchase a beckoning Mirabelle berry tart. Forced to share a bite with each of us, it tasted so good we went back and bought out half the store!

Then off we went for a winehouse tour in Mittelwihr, a renowned wine producing area. Purchased 4 bottles for later. We also quickly stopped off to view the picturesque town of Riquewihr: a picturesque walled-in village that you had to enter via drawbridge. Some of the houses and structures were built in medieval times but most were built in the 18thcentury and are now meticulously maintained and colorfully painted in yellows, oranges, reds, and even pinks. The towns we visited are in the southern section of the famed Alsace Wine Route located as far north as Strasbourg. The northernmost section of the wine route is just west of Strasbourg, with the largest northern wine town being Marlenheim. Colmar in the south is the capital of Alsace’s wine production.

RigneysKandu with amazing Colmar guide Suzanne Dietrich-Spindler & Myriam Rott

Once in Colmar, we met up with Brigitte’s Mother-in-law, Suzanne Dietrich-Spindler, a professional tour guide of Colmar still. She was a very stately lady, 89 year-old strong, who outwalked us all which was especially amazing since it was her second walking tour of the day!! We met her in the  lovely Restaurant Pfeffel serving traditional Alsatian dishes like the popular tarte flambée which the boys and I ordered. Eric ordered the pig’s ankle with mustard seed sauce. Yum? Our guide explained that the region of Alsace was one of the richest regions of France and was constantly fought over between France and Germany. Upon visiting the region, the French King Louis XIV declared it: the Garden of France. It has an extensive canal system that taps into the Rhine. The town was divided in quarters based on services provided. Tanning, one of the most lucrative but most smelly, was as usual located on the river but further from the center of town. Colmar’s Tanner’s district was restored between 1968-74 and is now considered upper class living. Dating from the 17thand 18thcentury, they are narrow, deep and tall buildings with half-timbering on the upper floors. They stand on a stone base with no foundations or cellars (too much water underneath).

As merchants became more and more successful, their wealth was shone in their construction. A new floor was added with every generation. Thick wooden beams can be seen bending under the pressure of supporting the new construction. The type of wood used denoted the value of the house. The harder the wood, the more valuable the house. Interestingly enough, at some point, the tax man decided to assess the value of the property based on the number of windows. Thus instantly, windows began to be bricked off and disappear, and or painted over in a trompe l’eouil fashion.

Constructed between 1292 through the early 14thcentury by Franciscans, St. Matthew’s Catholic church came under Lutheran protestant domain in 1543 when the Franciscan monastery closed. The protestants remodeled half of the structure into a protestant church, thus it’s the world’s only ½ Protestant ½ Catholic church under one roof with two separate entrances.

Colmar is considered the most picturesque example of the combination of Colombage or Fachwerk (timber framing, “post-and-beam”) house construction butting up to the canals. There is a dam higher in the river that controls the level of the water ensuring that the water remains the same height at all times. It is with great pride in maintenance that Colmar is a star tourist attraction in Alsace: A Must See!  Over each of the stores could be seen an artful depiction of their service: pharmacy, butcher. Colmar is also home of important museums. Unfortunately the Hansi Museum, home of Jean-Jacques Waltz’s famous ‘Hansi’ watercolors that depict delightful Alsatian scenes mostly of children in traditional Alsatian dress, was closed.

Hansi familial art

We did get to visit the birthplace Museum of the sculptor Bartholdi who sculpted the Statue of Liberty, France’s gift to the USA. It was Eiffel who provided the engineering aspect of the statue. The Dominican Church unfortunately was also closed which houses Martin Schongauer’s masterpiece: Virgin in a rose garden. Darnit!

Creation by Bartholdi

by Rosie Dennis with additions from Leslie Dennis Rigney

Rigney Family 2018 in Review

In 2018 aboard Kandu, we achieved our most extensive traveling since departing Ventura, February 2015. Starting in Malaysia, after the overhaul of our engine and other repairs/upgrades, we sailed Kandu west to India. With Cochin as our base, we enjoyed three weeks of splendid adventures and discoveries, traveling north and south by tuk-tuk, taxi, houseboat, train, and airplane.

Being late in season for a westward Arabian Sea passage, we were eager to be on our way. Heavily provisioned, water tanks filled, and diesel topped-up including additional 10 deck-tied Gerry jugs, we left feeling fully prepared for our 20-day High-Risk Area (Pirate Zone) passage.

Kandu ready to go loaded with 10X20 gallon jerry jugs

The western Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea gave way to the Gulf of Aden with Yemen in civil war to the north, infamous Somalia to the south. All went well, bringing us unscathed to the port of Massawa, Eritrea. Of the 28 boats that transited the Red Sea, only 8 stopped in Eritrea. Few, if any, explored its awkward interior. We took a public bus up into the highlands to the capital Asmara. Shown the sites by a wonderful local friend, nephew of LA friends, it was quite the learning curve, a city with little operational infrastructure.

Continuing up the Red Sea, two days later we stopped in Suakin, Sudan, poked around the Suakin ruins and nearby village, picked-up Uncle Nick, and sailed North to Egypt, stopping briefly at Sanganeb Reef (UNESCO site), its crystal-clear waters perfect for snorkeling.

Onward north, we motor-sailed several days to Port Ghalib, Egypt. We spent 3 weeks total in Egypt, initially diving the nearby Red Sea reefs and then driving inland to visit the ancient sites of Luxor. From Port Suez, we ventured inland to Cairo and the Pyramids of Giza. Yes, we did the most touristic things, like riding camels below the pyramids dressed in traditional Egyptian garb.

RigneysKandu say “Farewell Egypt!”

With slower moving recreational vessels like ours, Suez Canal is transited in two days. Each day, we hosted a different requisite pilot, stopping overnight in a “lake” at a yacht club in Ismailia. Around the world, yacht clubs are mostly just private ocean-view restaurants with little to no support for transiting yachts. We dropped one pilot off in the evening, picked up the other at sunrise. Transiting the Suez Canal was a thrill, passing large ships within a stone’s throw. The second pilot was dropped off onto a moving pilot vessel so we could continue without delay into the Mediterranean Sea.

Kandu pulling into Lake Ismailia while motoring the Suez Canal

Next stop, 2 days away: Cyprus. After a year in various Islamic countries, it was a welcome relief to land in a Western-style country, especially one so steeped in history and philosophy. There, we said goodbye to Uncle Nick, welcomed friends from Washington. Together, from their rented hilltop villa, we spent 6 days exploring the historical sites of Cyprus – including the Turkish occupied north. Then flew to Israel, drove to Jerusalem (the day after our US Embassy opened), the Dead Sea and Palestine to Bethlehem, and flew back to Cyprus.

RigneysKandu floating in Dead Sea of Israel

From a small fishing port in western Cyprus, it was a quick sail to Rhodes, Greece. The Schengen Visa clock was now ticking.  90-days to see Europe, including their Atlantic Islands, not nearly enough time, but we made the best of it. From medieval Rhodes, we sailed to romantic Santorini.

Santorini Island, Greece

Then to Athens, ground zero of Western philosophy. So rich in history, legends, and lore, like Jerusalem, seemingly every corner beheld another historic treasure. There, Uncle Bill joined us, and Bryce jumped ship to spend more time in Athens with a newfound friend, Alex. Kandu sailed west through the Corinthian Canal to Delphi sans Bryce for the first time in three and half years.

Kandu passing through the Corinthian Canal with Uncle Bill

From Greece, we sailed five days across the Ionian Sea to Italy, arriving near Napoli and Pompeii where Bryce re-joined Kandu, having spent a week and half with his buddy. Seeing Pompeii (prominent site on my bucket list) was just the beginning of a GREAT tour of Italy which would come to include beautiful places like: Cinqueterra, Rome, Vatican City, Pisa, Florence, and Venice. Just WOW! Even with all Eric’s and my previous travels and university studies, we never fully appreciated the extent to which over the centuries Italy had accumulated (pilfered?) the world’s artistic and symbolic wealth.

Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Vatican, Rome

From Northern Italy, it was a few short days to Nice, France and La Cote d’Azur. Here, we bid farewell to Uncle Bill (87 yrs young), crew and traveling companion over 5 jammed-packed weeks, visiting three countries together. Marina Nice is centrally located, making all the fun stuff available by foot. The boys, hanging at the beach and playing beach volleyball pick-up games with locals, serendipitously connected with a school mate from the Marquesas! Small world.

Kandu Crew playing Volleyball in the Cote d’Azur!

We caught up with many dear French friends while in Nice before sailing across to the other side of Southern France to Port Corbière, Marseilles. Safely tucked away, we securely berthed Kanduand drove 9 hours up to Paris to pick up my parents at the airport. We would spend the next 5 weeks together, driving to various countries, spending valuable time with more dear friends. So, directly from Charles de Gaulle Airport, with parents’ bags firmly packed in the trunk of our rented van, we were off to dine and stay with friends in Southern Belgium.

While in Belgium, we were hosted by two families, each with two teenage daughters, together enjoying meals of moules-frites, steak frites, and frite- frites; and outings of the must-see sights, including the Grand Place, Atomium, site of the 1950 Brussels World’s Fair, Brugge, Waterloo (Napoleon Museum) and Bastogne (Battle of the Bulge Museum).

Atomium, Brussels with Lara and Elena Demande
Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium
Ron and Rosie Dennis, Odette et Pierrot Robert chez Thierry Robert

Bidding sad farewells, we set off to Eastern France, via Luxembourg. A bowl of traditional green bean soup and a long stroll around this beautiful city was all the time we could spare before continuing our second, long toll-highway trek, this time to Alsace.

Through the generosity of several family friends, all of whom are connected with Eric’s Alsatian Aunt Annie, we spent 8 fabulous days filled to the brim with Alsatian splendor: food, wine, beer, history, crafts, architecture, etc. As an added bonus, we witnessed France’s 2018 World Cup championship victory with friends in Surbourg and marched through the streets with celebrating fans, demonstrating their “bleu-blanc-rouge” pride! From Alsace, we made an afternoon sojourn into Germany, sipping the gorgeous resort town of Baden-Baden, exploring its castle ruin and a popular beer garden – Wundabar!

Brigitte, Harold and Joris Keizer at Biergarten, Baden Baden, Germany

Strasbourg, Colmar, the wine tour, ceramics, country festivals, a WWII concentration camp, and meals galore with great friends had us on our way with greater awareness and appreciation, warm hearts, and kilos added to our waistlines via tartes flambées, baeckeoffe casserole, and sauerkraut & sausages.

Colmar, Alsace, France with Brigitte Hubert, Myriam Rott and Ron & Rosie Dennis

From Alsace, we headed west to Paris again, but this time to show Bryce and Trent. Again, through the generosity of another good friend opening her home, we stayed at her place just outside Paris.  From there, we drove daily to the nearest metro station to pick up the train into town. We toured many (too many for Bryce and Trent’s taste, but this is their classroom) of the celebrated museums and sites of one of our favorite cities. It’s where Eric proposed to me 25-yrs prior! Eric even drove the boys to the exact spot, at sunrise, just as he had done for me.

Place de Paix at Trocodero, Paris

For their last Parisian evening, Eric and the boys walked from the Arc de Triomphe to a cinema on the Champs-Elysées where they watched the opening night of the latest Tom Cruise MissionImpossible installment. Watching the chase scenes through Paris was surreal as they’d been walking on those very streets less than an hour before. As exhausting as this is to read, it was even more so to live.

Eric, Trent and Bryce Rigney on the Champs-Elysees, Paris, France.

Paris behind us, we headed south through gorgeous countryside to Voiron where we met up with friends with teenage boys. After days of seemingly endless museums, Bryce and Trent jumped on the opportunity to just hang with guys their age, all so handsome, smart, and adventurous. Giving in to pleas to extend their stay, and a promise from the Dad to drop the boys off at Kandu in three days, the four of us left the boys with their new-found friends and headed south sans enfants.

Kandu Crew taking out Serge, Max and Valentin for a ride at Port Corbiere, Marseille.

Not yet done with being spoiled by French friends, we left Voiron for the Southern French coastal town of Meze where we stayed with a couple we’d met in French Polynesia years ago. From their home, we attended a fishing celebration in Meze.

We spent a day at the nearby Medieval town of Arles, an important city in the life of Van Gogh. As with our friends before them, the two nights we spent together felt like a royal affair. After yet another heavy-hearted farewell, we drove east, back to Port de Corbières to meet up with the boys, to explore Marseilles before returning the van, and to prepare Kandu for the sail back to Nice, where Trent had a rendez-vous with an airplane.

In Nice once again, we boarded a commuter train to Monaco…a bucket list destination for my father! Wearing our best “boat clothes” and scrounged up bow ties, we entered the Monte Carlo Casino in style, not “Bond, . . . James Bond” style, but style nevertheless, and basked in the luxury. Castles, cathedrals, and a Formula 1 race track made this a fun, albeit Trent’s last, country visit. By the time he left us, he’d visited 27 since our California February 2015 departure.

Monte Carlo in Monaco with Rosie and Ron Dennis

A bit melancholy, the 7 of us said goodbye to an extremely cheerful (perhaps too cheerful) Trent as he boarded a Norwegian airline plane in Nice, laying-over in Oslo, arriving in Los Angeles to start high school as a freshman. His new home is with his Uncle Nick and Aunt Gita in Calabasas, California. With an abundance of electricity, hot showers, WiFi, Netflix, Mexican hot sauce, and kids his age, Trent is happy.

Nani and Papa still with us, Kanducasted off Nice and motor-sailed 2 days to Barcelona, Spain. Soon after departure, we experienced our first and only crazy Mediterranean wind, quickly rising from 15 to 50 knots of wind with short steep seas and horizontal rain – Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride for one intense hour! My parents didn’t quite know what to think because the captain, Bryce, and I acted as if nothing was unusual.

Our days in Barcelona were exquisite, filled with flamenco music and dancing, delicious Catalan foods, and Gaudi architecture, most notably the Sagrada Familia! Here, after 6 weeks of intense traveling through 6 countries, we bid a tearful farewell to my parents, who flew back to California with an abundance of electricity, hot showers, WiFi, inexpensive wine, and friends their age!

Interior Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

 In Barcelona, we stocked Kandu for a 5-day passage, checked out of Schengen, and motor-sailed across the Eastern Mediterranean to Gibraltar. The next day, Bryce flew solo to London, England for 6 days to meet with Alex, his friend from Greece. Eric and I enacted repairs on Kandu held off during our Schengen rush through Europe. We squeezed in a bit of fun too, touring the sites. Eric discovered a broken bolt supporting the alternator and engine’s freshwater pump. This kept us in Gibraltar longer than anticipated. Once appropriate bolts were acquired, we carefully timed our Mediterranean Sea exit with winds and currents and cast off the dock lines for the Strait of Gibraltar. All went well. For our first Atlantic Ocean stop, we chose Port Mohammedia, Morocco – a fishing port near Casablanca, to which we took a train, and from where we toured, inside and out, the world’s largest mosque outside of Saudi Arabia, Hassan II.

Magnificent Interior Hassan II Mosque

Sailing further south along the West African Coast, we made our way to Marina Agadir. With the engine’s freshwater pump leaking internally, Kandu ended-up docked in Agadir for almost 5 weeks (a month longer than planned), waiting for the new pump to arrive and clear customs. However, we met lovely people and traveled to various nearby cities, fully immersing in the culture and exploring the environs: Essaouira and Paradise Valley by renting a car, and later to Marrakesh by bus, plus Bryce got a chance to surf to his heart’s content at several renowned surf sites, including Taghazout. Souks, tajine, couscous, and avocado-date shakes we enjoyed a-plenty.

Departing Agadir, ‘We Kandu’ sailed deeper into the Atlantic to the exquisitely beautiful resort island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Volcanic craters and surf are among this island’s treasures. We flew to Las Palmas for boat parts and a tour of the Columbus museum.

Volcanic wine vineyards of Lanzarote, Canary Islands

From Puerto Calero, Lanzarote, we sailed southwest to Marina Mindelo, Sao Vicente, Cape Verde. Porto Grande is Cape Verde’s largest and most protected natural bay.

Sailing Kandu 10 days to Mindelo, Sao Vicente Island, Cape Verde

We arrived just prior to the send-off of 3 world class cruising rallies, organized to help amateur sailors cross the Atlantic, all of which terminate in the Caribbean. It was great fun to be amongst the bevy of so many serious sailors preparing to make an ocean crossing! Thanksgiving, we received spare parts Uncle Bill mailed us, and got stuck an extra week, waiting for replacement bank cards to arrive from Cape Verde’s capital city. Ate lots of cachupa (local breakfast dish) in the meantime. On Dec. 5, we departed Mindelo for what would be our third and final ocean crossing.

Sixteen rock’n’rolling days later, we’ve made it to French Guiana.

Saint Laurent du Maroni Marina, French Guiana.

Whew! We’ll spend Xmas in the country’s second largest city, Saint Laurent du Maroni, then head to Suriname (Dutch) to tour the sites, maybe spy some freshwater pink dolphins, and spend New Year’s. We’ll pass through Guyana (English) before sailing north into the Caribbean, stopping at Tobago/Trinidad (more parts). From there: Grenada, Bonaire, and Curacao. Then entering South America one more time in Columbia, fromwhere we’ll arrange a canal agent to deal with the formalities of transiting the Panama Canal in late February or early March 2019. The only other Central American stop will be Costa Rica. We’ll skip the rest of Central America, sailing directly to Southern Mexico. There are just too many security concerns with coastal pirates and within Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Obviously, from Southern Mexico, we’ll continue our northly trek. Puerto Vallarta is where we’ll cross our circumnavigation track. Then it’s a few short weeks, early May, before we clear-in at San Diego, California.

2018 marks our trip’s most prolific year in terms of countries visited (23), oceans and seas crossed (2/6+), and continents touched (4). With about nine more countries, a canal, and a few more seas to cross, we return eager for life’s next adventures. We want to thank you, our friends and family, for following along on our journey, and to so many of you whom we met along the way. Until we meet up again, we send you our biggest virtual hugs and wish those who are sailing, fair winds and weather!

Love Leslie, Eric, Bryce and Trent

REMINDERS

To see where we are on a map in real-time, scroll down on our home page and click on the Delorme link.

We continue to post updates and photos of our travels on our Facebook sites: RigneysKandu, Eric Rigney, Leslie Dennis-Rigney and Bryce Rigney. Bryce and Trent post their favorite photos on Instagram under: Bry.Rig and Tnert_Rigney. If you mostly prefer short video clips, visit us on Youtube.com. Our channels are RigneysKandu and Kandu Crew.