First our trip was canceled

Three and a half years ago in this space, we shared our experiences as we honeymooned in Switzerland. We called our blog "Following The Duck" after the duck-headed umbrella handle our tour guide used to organize our adventures.

We decided to reactivate our blog this November on our Viking River Cruise from Paris to Prague along the Rhine River.

But first, our tour was canceled.

After carefully choosing the tour we wanted--a tour of Prague followed by cruising the Rhine and visiting all the German Christmas Markets and finishing with a tour of Paris--we abruptly got word that the tour was canceled. Fortunately, we have a great travel agent who got us rebooked the next day on the same tour in reverse: Paris to Prague. And because of the change, they kindly gave us $100 in shipboard credit. We would add that to an additional $100 in shipboard credit we'd gotten when they had accidentally put us in the wrong level cabin.

But wait! There's more!

JFK was strangely deserted the day before Thanksgiving

Two days before our departure, Lufthansa, our carrier for the trip over, went on strike, so all flights would need to be rebooked. We would now have an additional leg to JFK, and then a connection to Schiphol in Amsterdam. We had intended to take the train from Harrisburg to the Philly Airport to catch the flight, but the changes meant our return flight would not arrive until after the last train leaves Philly. So, instead of an easy train trip, we would need to drive to the airport and leave our car in the long term lot. So we canceled our train tickets and adapted. And we got another compensatory shipboard credit. At this point, we are close to owning the ship!

Schiphol Amsterdam was a blur as we searched for the right gate

We traveled on the day before Thanksgiving, and fully expected jammed airports and even delays. On the contrary, each of our flights was smooth, and on time. Philly to JFK. JKF to Amsterdam. Amsterdam to Paris. We left home at 5:00 am Wednesday to drive to Philly and landed in Paris at 8:00 am Thursday (or 2:00 am back home). We were met by a Viking River Cruise representative who tucked us into a Mercedes van with our (very handsome and very French) driver Michael and we were launched into Paris morning rush hour.

And launched is the word. Maybe Michael moonlights as a LeMans driver. I think we may have pulled "Gs" as we threaded our way, with mere millimeters separating us from other cars and trucks also moving at breakneck speed, through the traffic. The radio played US Broadway show tunes. And the most startling of all were the hordes of motorcycles using the narrow space between the lanes to progress through stopped and slowing traffic. We thought it must be illegal until we saw police motorcycles doing the same thing!

We arrived at our hotel near the Arc de Triomphe hoping to catch a quick nap and use the rest of the day to explore on our own. But it was not to be. With typical Gallic logic, our hotel had been told we would not arrive until 3:00 pm (our original ETA on Lufthansa), so darn it--our key would not be presented until then. Other members of our tour got their keys. We waited. Finally, after a sustained campaign on the part of our Viking rep, we got our room around 1:30 pm. And we slept. Finally.

We woke up several hours later, refreshed, and ventured out for dinner. We found a little restaurant down the street called Tabac des Ternes. It was perfect. Seated by a window where we could watch Parisians make their way home, we had our Thanksgiving dinner. It was also our anniversary dinner (4 years). We had escargot in garlic butter, lamb chops with green beans, and creme brûlée with espresso. Did I mention it was perfect?

And then a wonderful, delightful, amazing full night's sleep.