Results for "Magne+|+123+>+211"

Bonjour,

Nous partons faire une croisière sur le Costa Atlantica le 11 février 2011 "Magie des Caraïbes". C'est notre première croisière Costa. Merci pour ceux qui ont déjà fait cette croisière de nous donner quelques renseignements au niveau des excusions que nous aimerions faire. Key West : A la découvert de Key West Ocho Rios : Croisière à bord du yacht san san et visite de chutes de Dunn'river Grand Cayman : Stingray City Sandbar " Hell" et ferme aux tortues Cozumel : Base de loisirs de playa mia Grand Beach Park (durée du trajet entre le port et la plage) En ce qui concerne les repas, faut-il prendre le deuxième service car je crois que le premier est très tôt (vers 17 H 30/18 H) Avez-vous fait une escale ? Nous partons de Paris et on nous a indiqué qu'il n'y avait plus de vols directs pour Miami. Merci de nous dire si vous avez attendu longtemps à l'aéroport de l'escale et dans quel aéroport se trouve l'escale. Avez-vous été obligés de réenregistrer les bagages ? On nous a attribué une cabine Welmess. Qui a t-il comme différence par rapport aux autres cabines ? Merci de vos réponses A bientôt Nadine

Nous voulons aller a Cuba mais jai entendu dire qu'on ne mange pas super bien. Jai un copain assez difficile. Il adore manger tout ce qui est viande....mais de la bonne viande aussi!!! Il a beaucoup d'allergies donc il faut faire tres attention. Jaimerais savoir Cuba, Mexique ou Republique est la meilleure place pour manger!

Merci

bonjour , j'ai comme projet de me rendre en bourgogne cet été , je pense au mois d'août. l'objectif est de parcourir 350 kilomètre s en velo avec mon chien qui sera dans une remorque à vélo, ( que j'ai déjà mais qu'il faut améliorer et adapter). Pour le moment mon projet se prépare doucement mais j'ai deux mois encore pour le peaufiner.

pour le moment j'en suis à l'élaboration des étapes

de Marne la Vallée à Sens soit 95 km en 6h45 de Sens à Soulagny, commune de Sarry soit 94 km en 6h44 de Soulagny à Arcenant 97 km en 6h55 de Arcenant à Dijon 31 km en 2h13

Evidement , ces données sont des approximatifs

je souhaite partir avec mon chien un Akita de 10 ans , en pleine forme mais qui ne marchera pas il sera en remorque . je pense partir en vélo et faire le retour en train car pas assez de jours de vacances , c'est une première pour moi en vélo mais je suis un peu aventurier et j'ai l'habitude de voyager dans des conditions spartiates. je pense pour le moment descendre en 4 jours , est ce que c vous parait possible , je suis pas grand sportif mais hyper motivé donc çà compense.

L'idee est d'alternée bivouac sous tente et camping tous les deux jours histoire de prendre soin de moi !!!

je serais en parfaite autonomie , comme le chien est pas gros mangeur et le pilote non plus, je gagne sur le poids de la bouffe.

j'attends , vos idées , vos conseils vos remarques pour mieux préparer ce projet.

au plaisir de vous lire

Bonjour

J'ai bien lu vos messages concernant les escales et j'ai qqs petites questions - concernant la nage avec les dauphins à Cozumel

est ce mieux de le faire au Dolphinaris ou au parc Chankannab ? J'ai cru comprendre que les deux n'étaient pas loin du port

- Concernant l'hotel Atlantis A quoi a -ton accés gratuitement ? Si on paie pour l'aquarium a-t)on accés aux glissades ?

Si vous avez des infos complémentaires sur les escales Nassau , grand Caiman et Ochos Rios ils sont les bienvenus ?

Si vous faites vous aussi cette croisière contactez moi

merci

Laurence

Bonjour à tous,

Nous partons le 16 janvier 2010 sur le Costa Fortuna faire la croisiere "Magie des Caraibes": Nassau, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel...

Qui a déjà fait cette croisière? QUe faut il voir et ne surtout pas louper?

Nous revenons de la croisière "Perle des Antilles" où nous avons fait les excursisons pas nous meme alors je cherche des infos et des conseils auprès de vous.

Merci d'avance pour vos réponses, je suis preneuse de TOUT!

A bientot

Francine

Je vais me rendre en Inde la semaine prochaine pour presque 2 mois. Je me demandais bien ce que j'allais y manger. Je pensais manger à petit prix dans la rue mais entre toutes les recommandations sanitaires que j'entends, et vu mon petit budget, je me demande bien ce que je vais manger et où également. Je suis à votre écoute et je vous remercie d'avance. Michael

J'hésite encore a apporter les enfants... ma grande de 5 ans ca va mais j'ai peur que mon petit de 14 mois se retrouve malade, vomissements, etc... ?? Je crois parfois qu'il serait plus en sécurité avec quelqu'un d'autre ici que la bas avec nous... mais bon... si je l'amène, il mangera quoi? Pas de fruits, pas de légumes crus... pas de petits pots?? La question vous parraitera sans doute drole mais est-ce que je peux apporter des fruits pour la semaine avec un mini mélangeur a main et les reduire en purée moi meme la bas ou les couper en morceaux? ...En gros, peut-on apporter une petite partie de notre épicerie? Aux douanes c'est permis? Merci pour votre aide!!

j'ai aimé "Mange, prie, aime, la quête spirituelle d'une femme à travers l'Italie, l'Inde et l'Indonésie" de Elisabeth Gilbert. En voici le résumé : "trente et un ans, Elizabeth Gilbert possède tout ce dont une américaine ambitieuse peut rêver : un mari dévoué, une belle maison, une carrière prometteuse. Elle devrait nager dans le bonheur, pourtant elle est rongée par l'angoisse, le doute, l'insatisfaction... S'ensuivent un divorce, une dépression et une liaison désastreuse qui la laissent exsangue et encore plus désemparée. Elle décide de tout plaquer pour partir seule à travers le monde. À elle de se construire la vie qu'elle s'est choisie ! En Italie, elle goûte aux délices de la dolce vita et prend les "douze kilos les plus heureux de sa vie", en Inde, ashram et rigueur ascétique l'aident à discipliner son esprit (lever à 4 heures du matin, méditation et nettoyage des sols !) et en Indonésie, elle cherche à réconcilier son corps et son âme pour trouver l'équilibre qu'on appelle le bonheur... Elisabeth Gilbert nous invite à un voyage vers l'inconnu joyeux et émouvant, libéré des mascarades et faux-semblants. À travers une mosaïque d'émotions et d'expériences culturelles, elle a su conquérir le coeur de millions de lectrices qui ont aimé pleurer et rire avec elle. Et qui rêvent de changer de vie, elles aussi." Bon c'est peut être plus un livre pour les filles, mais en tout cas, c'est un livre à emporter en voyage, qui parle de voyage intérieur et extérieur... Ca a sûrement sa place ici. 😎

en general, les ports sont ils bien situés pour aller aux plages par nos propres moyens ? SINON? est ce bien le 220 v dans les cabines ou bien faut il un adaptateur

Qui a déjà testé le séjour magie blanche au canada ? j'y vais en mars 2008. Que pensez-vous de ce voyage ? Les visites de Québec et Montréal sont-elles intéressantes ? Où aller pendant le temps libre à Québec lors du 5è jour ? Que me conseillez-vous ?

Le Tour Du Monde en faisant le tour des cartes, ou le tour de carte en faisant de la magie

Voilà la réflexion qui me vient à l'esprit:

Ma fille, comme beaucoup de jeunes est en train de finir son TDM d'un an et demi.

Mon rêve depuis tout jeune est de faire le tour du monde.

Arrivé à 55 ans, j'ai hâte de le réaliser, mais la magie de cette découverte a toujours résidé dans le fait que tout restait à découvrir: Lorsqu'un magicien vous fait un tour de carte prestigieux, vous n'avez qu'une envie, c'est de savoir comment il a procédé; mais si il vous donne la solution tout de suite, la magie n'opère plus, et votre rêve disparait, à part le fait de pouvoir le réaliser vous même devant vos amis, à la façon d'un tourdumondiste qui sera fier de dire aux autres: je l'ai fait.

Mais que reste t-il après ??? Quelles seront leurs envies plus tard, et quels pourront être leurs rêves ?

En conséquence, au cour de sa vie, ne faut il pas découvrir petit à petit le monde, plutôt que tout avaler d'un coup, et consommer petit à petit, en gardant le grand voyage pour celui qui sera le dernier 😏

Bonjour bonsoir,

Comme chaque année, la magie des lanternes est de retour au jardin botanique de Montréal et ce jusqu'au 31 octobre prochain . Ci joint quelques photos des années antérieures:

La magie des lanternes

@+

JulienL

Bonjour a tous........

Actuellement sur l Amerik centrale avec notre enfant de 2 ans, nous pensons aller sur l Inde pour ses 3 ans, pour une duree de 6 mois. Notre question est d avoir une idee sur la nourriture, vu que les Hindous sont vegetariens, et lorsque l on peut trouver de la viande, la verite!!! je prefere m abstenir !!!! Je sais que le manque de proteines peut etre substitue par des graines, comme les noix et autres !!!!

Y a t il une nomad family qui peut nous faire partager son experience de l Inde avec enfants ???

Merci a tous et bonne route !!!!

Bonjour,

J'envisage d'effectuer cette croisière fin avril 2006 et de le combiner avec un séjour au Thomas Cook Village Makadi.

Quelqu'un peut-il m'apporter son témoignage et ses impressions sur ces deux parties du voyage (bateau, visites, nourriture, hotel, plage...). Je précise que c'est mon premier voyage en Egypte.

Merci pour votre aide : tout renseignement utile sera le bienvenu (y compris des liens interessants pour des sites web !)

A +

😉

vous connessez la" magie blanche" c'est le sejour que nous allons faire ja voudrais avoir des renseignement sur notre hébergement appalaches lodge a st paul de montminy merci.

Je pars dans 15j en Grèce et je souhaitais savoir ce que l'on y mange. Le petit déjeuner est il salé ou sucré??Combien de repas font les Grecs?Ne mange t'on pas trop de poisson (je n'aime pas ça)?etc etc

Faites moi partager vos expériences si vous ya avez séjourné bonnes ou mauvaises.

Merci😉

Bonjour,

Je pars dans 15 jours et il me tarde de partir !! Pour info, que manger ou ne pas manger ? (les enfants veulent savoir et moi je suis vegetarienne)

Merci de vos renseignements

Take a step back, forget your bearings, and momentarily set aside the boxes we use to categorize life: humans on one side, animals on the other. Immerse yourself in that unsettling zone where man, stripped of his humanity, and the beast—capable of emotions and sensitivity—stand face to face. Who is the predator, who is the prey? Where do fear, barbarism, or extreme violence lie, and where do compassion and philosophy reside?

In this book steeped in anthropomorphism, Stéphanie Artarit weaves a cruel plot and pushes the boundaries of darkness without ever wallowing in the grim or sordid.

A story of love and vengeance, of fierce beasts and humans, where the abominable, the unbearable, and the unthinkable are pierced by the candor and fragile luminosity of the heroine, Bambi, around whom (very) dark passions rage.

The action takes place in the Pyrenees in the mid-1970s. A dilapidated, isolated house, the theater of the unthinkable, where a shattered family ignored by social services lives—or survives: a missing father, a helpless mother, two degenerate twins, Sam and Valerien, a violent older brother, Martin, an absolute bastard, a dog... and a young adolescent, Bambi, the precarious pillar of this teetering balance. To escape this hopeless daily life, she regularly finds refuge in a nearby zoo. Caught during yet another sneaky visit, she is taken to the owner of the place, Noel Rivière, who, moved by her misery (and her ethereal, unreal beauty...), hires her as an apprentice.

This could have been the start of a fairy tale, redemption through love, the bastard permanently neutralized... and a breather for the reader.

But no.

The zoo serves as the backdrop for the second part of the story, which introduces new characters... a little girl, Feline, and a chimpanzee, Adam, placed in an isolated enclosure upon arrival because he was aggressive and unable to live among his own kind.

Humans with primitive animality, animals with astonishing humanity... a deranged, fierce, and heartbreaking Jungle Book. A noir novel with fluid, poetic writing.

A breathless read, almost devoured in one go (in two sittings) because it’s impossible to catch your breath before finding out how far the author will push the limits and what fate she has in store for her characters...

You Don’t Eat Cannibals Stéphanie ARTARIT Belfond Noir

Hello everyone! I just got back from a little trip to Cambodia, and I really wanted to share this experience with you—because honestly, it was wow from start to finish. I set my bags down in Siem Reap, and even though I knew the temples would be amazing… I wasn’t expecting that much beauty. Angkor Wat, of course, is THE classic, and you quickly understand why. I went super early in the morning to see the sunrise (yes, 4:30 AM wake-up, and no complaining 😊), and I don’t regret a second of it: that soft light, the silhouettes of the towers in the mist… you feel so small. I also loved Bayon, with its mysterious faces, and Ta Prohm, overrun by giant roots—guaranteed Tomb Raider vibes, but without the crowds of Lara Croft. What I found amazing is that beyond the big temples, there are plenty of quieter, almost forgotten spots where you can sit, listen to the birds, and just soak in the moment. It was hot (really hot!), so I didn’t hesitate to take breaks in the shade with a nice cold mango juice. For nature, I took a little trip to Tonlé Sap Lake. Very different, more raw, but super interesting. The floating villages are surprising—it makes you think about life at the rhythm of the water, and I was lucky enough to chat a bit with a local thanks to my guide. Authentic, simple, and touching. And then those kids rowing like pros in plastic boats… respect. In short, this trip did me so much good. Landscapes that filled my eyes, sincere smiles, and that feeling of having brushed against something bigger, something older. Cambodia—I’m not really leaving it behind; I’m bringing a little piece of it with me. If you’re hesitating about going: just go for it! And if you have any practical questions, I’d be happy to chat 😊

In Finnish Lapland, in Rovaniemi, the iconic Santa Claus Village is facing an unexpected challenge: a lack of snow, which is essential for the Christmas magic and the region's tourist appeal.

With record temperatures reaching up to 11.1°C in November and persistent rain, climate change is disrupting not only the landscapes but also the lives of reindeer and Arctic residents.

Despite this, tourists are flocking to meet Santa Claus and hoping to admire the northern lights, reflecting the global attachment to this unique destination, now weakened by climate change. Read more...

Hello everyone,

What a pleasure to be back on VF after a few difficult years 😎 So, before diving into the topic, welcome back to VF and above all... keep going!

Well, I’m finally picking up my old habit of posting a new travel journal.

Before heading to Mexico in the summer of 2023 with my family (my partner and our two boys, aged 18 and 16), I had somehow convinced myself—though I can’t even remember why—that the Yucatán was too touristy, too cliché, too expensive, and overrated!

The country didn’t particularly appeal to me, but faced with my wife’s insistence—she’d been there years ago, before we met, and had promised to show our sons this incredible place—my arguments didn’t hold much weight.

And thank goodness, because I have to admit she was absolutely right to take us there! In the end, we encountered far fewer tourists than we’d feared (except at a few sites), and the prices, which we’d been told were geared toward American neighbors (US), turned out to be quite affordable. In short, it was pure joy on both counts. All that was left was for the trip itself to be beautiful and memorable—and it was...

1st stop: Isla Holbox and the whale sharks

Holbox (pronounced “Hol-bosh”) is a stunning island where you can relax in an enchanting setting.



Our main goal in coming to Holbox was to swim with whale sharks. So, the first thing we told our hotel, Los Arcos Holbox, upon arrival was to arrange an excursion with one of the island’s many tour operators: Glendy Tours Holbox. We set off the next morning, bright and early.

The itinerary for this outing is the same for all tour operators (and there are about thirty of them!): roughly two hours by speedboat, then snorkeling with the whale sharks, followed by another boat ride to Cabo Catoche for lunch, then more boating to a fish-filled snorkeling spot before heading back. In total, the excursion can take eight hours—or even longer.



Besides my two sons and me, there were only two other clients on board—a French couple. Our boat was one of the very first to leave, but after ten minutes, the pilot got a radio call. We turned back without any explanation, returning to the departure dock.

There, a young woman who clearly fancied herself a diva was waiting for us. She was Mexican and boarded the boat, snubbing all five of us while flirting with the pilot and guide, who were suddenly all eyes for her. We couldn’t understand how this diva had convinced our tour operator to turn the boat around just to pick her up when she hadn’t even booked and we were already far out. We left 20 minutes late.

The two-hour journey passed surprisingly quickly, and for good reason: we spotted dolphins six times! They were leaping out of the water as they moved. Pure joy. We stopped whenever they were near the boat.



The photo isn’t great—the ultra-wide-angle lens on my GoPro makes the dolphins look smaller—but at least I got a souvenir.

A few flying fish (exocets) also glided a meter or two above the water as we sped along. The false start was forgotten, and the day was off to a fantastic start in this stunning marine environment...

When we reached the area where the whale sharks were supposed to be, the guide explained that we’d now have to scan the sea until we spotted one. It could take five minutes or forty-five, he said, and if we were unlucky, we might not see any at all!

An hour and a half later—still nothing! The captain then headed toward a distant area where about twenty other boats were already gathered.

Sure enough, there was a juvenile whale shark (still a good eight meters long) there, and all the boats were lining up to approach it slowly, one by one, so as not to scare the animal. Each boat got about thirty seconds within a few meters of it, engine idling, before making way for the next. We were allowed to approach three times, but we weren’t permitted to dive in. That’s normal—such a crowd of divers around a single animal would stress it out, and here, whale sharks are protected by regulations: swimming with them is strictly controlled. There was even a coast guard boat with us at all times, monitoring everyone’s behavior.

We were torn between the luck of seeing such a magnificent animal, even from the surface, and the discomfort we felt about the absurd situation. All those boats lined up just to catch a fleeting glimpse of the shark for a few seconds—let’s be honest, it was ridiculous. In short, the whole thing was unpleasant, and probably even more so for the shark than for us, though it did keep gulping down kilos of plankton as if nothing were happening...

When it was our turn to approach, I dipped my GoPro into the water at arm’s length and framed the shot blindly, hoping for a decent image of the shark.



On the third and final approach, the sixth passenger on board—the one we’d had to turn back for ten minutes after departure—quietly spoke to the guide and captain after putting on her flippers (even though, I’ll remind you, no one was allowed to dive). She wanted them to ask the coast guard for permission to dive with the shark—just her! She whispered so we couldn’t hear what she was offering in exchange.

The two lackeys complied and shouted the request to the officials in front of all the other boats, with no shame whatsoever. With so many witnesses, the coast guard had no choice but to refuse. The diva wouldn’t let it go and asked them to insist, which they did, but the refusal was firm and final.

On the nearest boats, everyone had heard and was stunned. They openly mocked this bimbo who clearly had no shame. Hidden behind her star sunglasses, she responded with a dismissive smile. Pathetic.

The encounter with the shark ended, and we set off for Cabo Catoche, a site on Holbox Island where we were to have lunch.



We were a little disappointed not to have had the chance to see the usual school of whale sharks (they’re often dozens swimming together!), but that’s nature’s way, and we knew it.

And then, an unlikely stroke of luck: a boat ahead of us was putting divers in the water with a pair of adult whale sharks. We joined them, and while we were putting on our masks and snorkels, the guide briefed us. He said my sons and I would go first, followed by the French couple and the diva.

But Miss World, clearly unhappy with this order, quietly complained to the guide, who eventually switched the order. It didn’t bother us since we’d only get a minute in the water anyway—what’s a minute more or less?

So the three of them got in the water, and a moment later, they were done. My two sons and I, sitting on the edge of the boat with masks on and snorkels in our mouths, were ready to finally take the plunge. But instead of continuing to follow the shark, the captain was suddenly all eyes for Miss Silicone! He even let go of the wheel for a moment to help her back on board.

One of the two sharks had already left minutes earlier, and the second was swimming farther away. Other boats were arriving, and the captain went to join the queue 100 meters from the shark. Soon, even more boats showed up. There were way too many people, the shark left, and diving was no longer possible.

I was, of course, a little disappointed not to have fulfilled my long-time dream of swimming with a whale shark, even briefly. But I was mostly disgusted for my two boys, who had been so excited about it. I told the guide exactly what I thought and asked for compensation—not for missing out on swimming with the shark (you can never guarantee seeing one, nature isn’t at our beck and call), but for clearly skipping our turn to dive. He promised a refund.

At the end of the day, back on land, he dropped us all off, and as he was about to leave, I reminded him about the refund. He agreed again, calmly got back on board, and sped off as if nothing had happened—just him and the captain, two total cowards. I couldn’t believe it.

Of course, back at our hotel (which had booked this tour operator—Glendy Tours), I explained the situation and asked for my refund again. The receptionist called the manager, who arrived with the guide. Our runaway wasn’t so cocky anymore. Inside, I was fuming, but I kept my cool during the discussion that followed.

Right off the bat, I made a point of looking the so-called guide in the eyes while telling him he’d run off like a coward. I did my best to stay calm, speaking clearly, staring him down the whole time, and repeating several times that he was a coward, in front of the manager, who didn’t say a word. The guide had clearly been told by his boss to keep quiet because he didn’t utter a word during the entire twenty-minute conversation.

Anyway, I’ll spare you the details, but in the end, the manager only offered us another excursion the next day as compensation for the “inconvenience.” It was just snorkeling with fish, not another whale shark trip. He admitted their fault, but since we had to leave early the next morning and had other bookings for the rest of the trip, we couldn’t accept. And he refused to refund us.

On Tripadvisor, Glendy Tours has a mediocre rating (3 out of 5), but more importantly, it ranks 29th out of 36 nautical tour operators rated by customers. I was pretty upset with the hotel for booking such an amateur for us.



If you want to swim with whale sharks in Holbox, you might end up with Glendy Tours. And it might go well—I certainly hope so. But given the price of such an excursion (3,000 pesos per person, about 160 €!), I’d still suggest quickly checking online before you go to see which providers have the best ratings. You’ll have a much better chance of things going smoothly with the top-rated ones than with those as poorly ranked as Glendy Tours.

On the other hand, if you’re a beautiful young woman, you can choose them without worry—you’ll get better treatment than the rest of us...

To wrap up this excursion, I have to mention the “respect for nature” angle that all these tour operators highlight. They tell us they respect the whale sharks: only two or three people can dive at a time, and only for a few minutes, so as not to disturb these gentle giants...

We believed them before we left, but that’s not what we saw. When the sharks are hard to find except for one, everyone rushes it, and only the constant presence of the coast guard prevents the tour operators from putting their clients in the water.

Because for the second shark we saw, when the divers from our boat got out of the water and we left to join the queue while it was our turn to dive, other boats quickly arrived and started swarming the poor shark, which eventually left.

In other words, it’s clear these companies only respect the sharks when they’re being watched.

Boat reversing a meter away from a pelican

And for the snorkeling near Cabo Catoche, they attract fish daily by feeding them—a practice that’s normally discouraged. Afterward, these fish can’t feed naturally anymore and become dependent on Glendy Tours and its competitors.

A quick note on the rest of the excursion: Cabo Catoche (the site where we had lunch, on Holbox Island) is the northernmost point of the entire Yucatán. The place is paradise.



On the way back, we spent half an hour snorkeling at a site that turned out to be fish-filled only because the tour operators had the bad habit of feeding the fish. But this practice, which isn’t respectful of nature, is normally discouraged.



Plus, life jackets—like in many places in the Yucatán—are mandatory!!



As divers, we didn’t find the site very interesting, but objectively, it should delight those who aren’t used to putting their heads underwater in beautiful dive spots.

We hated feeling trapped in those life jackets, stuck at the surface, and for me, the highlight was swimming next to a pelican that wasn’t too shy—it was paddling right beside me in green water.

Anyway, it seems we can’t post more than 10 photos at once on VF, so I’ll come back with the rest of the journal in another message. Because after these early trip mishaps, the rest of the journey turned out to be magnificent...

Cause Covid pas de séjour à l'étranger avec ma petite fille de 9 ans pour les prochaines vacances d'Octobre. Je me rabats sur Disney Land bien que ce ne soit pas ce genre d'attractions ma préférence mais elle sera sans doute heureuse. Je recherche des conseils pour que ce séjour ce passe au mieux : hotel - organisation des journées - durée du séjour etc … etc … Je suis preneuse de tout conseil ! Merci d'avance

Bonsoir les cyclos... J'aimerai savoir si il est possible de longer la Marne de Charenton le pont à Condé sur Marne.

Bonsoir, j'ai l'intention de remonter la Marne de son confluent avec la Seine jusqu'à sa source, 525 km, en restant au plus près de l'eau. Je suis preneur de tous les conseils renseignements et expériences tout au long de cet itinéraire. Merci Luc

Hello,

Today is January 7th, Orthodox Christmas Day.

It’s the perfect occasion to share on VF a religious site that left a lasting impression on us.

For a long time, we’d admired photos of the Makaryevo Women’s Monastery on Russian websites. They’re always taken from cruise hydrofoils that, in season, depart from Nizhny Novgorod.

This gave us the idea for a crazy challenge: to visit the monastery during a river cruise, with our little plumber’s van that’s become the common thread of our travels!

This challenge seemed impossible to pull off.

The equation was indeed impossible to solve

1. Find a dock 2. Load the van onto a boat 3. Cross the Volga 4. Arrive at sunset 5. Sail past the monastery 6. All with no reliable information. NONE!

Incredibly, every obstacle fell into place one after another! Gifting us unforgettable moments.

The photos follow our exact journey.

1. We arrive on the southern bank of the Volga, searching for a ferry to Makaryevo. First attempt, first failure—we’re way too far east. We find a second ferry, but it serves a different town on the northern bank.



2. We keep going and meet some fishermen. But even they don’t know where to board a vehicle for the monastery.



3. After several fruitless searches, a young man who speaks a few words of English points us to a dock where, in summer, boats *might* serve the monastery. Miraculously, at the end of a rough track, we find an old ferry moored. But no one’s on board, and a chain blocks the entrance. After an hour of waiting, a worker arrives and tells us they *will* cross the Volga tonight, but the exit ramp at Makaryevo isn’t accessible for our vehicle. The captain joins him, and seeing our disappointed faces, they confer, discuss, and load some planks to raise the ramp!

Another miracle!

4. We board, with just one passenger accompanying us— the Trafic is the only vehicle on board.



5. The crossing was magical. And longer than expected, since the Volga here is several kilometers wide, and we’re navigating between countless islands!



6. Under a sky that gradually clears, we discover there are homes on the river— invisible from the banks—that form small communities where people get around by boat!



7. Then, suddenly, around a bend in the channel, the monastery appears in the distance on the northern bank.



8. At the exact moment our boat rounds the buoy and nears the monastery, the sun breaks through the clouds!



9. A breathtaking sight, with our boat gliding along the monastery walls in absolute silence.



10. The sky, now a deep blue, makes the vibrant colors of the onion domes pop.



11. We sail slowly past the monastery under extraordinary light— something our little compact camera can’t fully capture.



12. As promised, the captain and his crew adjust the exit ramp. You can’t tell from the photo, but even with the planks, it was a close call— the van’s chassis barely cleared the ramp. We thanked them warmly.



13. By the end of the day, the monastery is, of course, closed. But another miracle happens! It turns out the passenger who crossed with us is the mayor’s wife. When Sylvie told her we were from France, she called her husband, who immediately contacted the Mother Superior. Like in a dream, the monastery opens just for us. A nun and a guard come to meet us and take us through the chapels and gardens!



14. A visit all the more intimate since only the silent nuns, deep in prayer, are present in these sacred spaces.



15. After dinner in our little van, we enjoy the exceptional light illuminating the now-closed monastery. We’re the only visitors, and the site feels like a massive ship anchored on the Volga.



16. The setting sun now bathes the monastery walls in gorgeous pink hues!



17. Gradually, the legendary Volga itself takes on magical colors! For the night, I’ll just back the van up to level it. It’ll take us a while to fall asleep after such intense moments.



18. Just as inexplicably, the magic continues the next morning! Seeing I’m struggling with my knee, the guard lets us drive slowly along the monastery’s perimeter path. So there we are at dawn, solitary wanderers between the Volga and the monastery walls.



19. The morning light now illuminates the monastery’s eastern façade, which we hadn’t admired yesterday. An exceptional moment.



20. Even more impressive when we realize we’re on the nuns’ prayer path. We cross paths with them—tall, silent, black-clad figures, fully covered.



We leave Makaryevo with regret, following the Volga toward Kostroma on the Golden Ring. That’s about all there is to add.

We’ve already taken three long trips through Russia in our little van. The travel journals are shared in the link in our signature.

Best regards, Sylvie & Bernard

Bonjour

Auriez vous des conseils , bons plans à me communiquer. Première crosisire pr nous Y aurait-il des personnes qui effectuent la même crosisiere que nous aux mêmes dates? 😊

Bonsoir Début janvier 2019 nous effectuons notre première croisière à bord du Costa Magica pour la magie des Caraïbes Nous aimerions faire des excursions mais les tarifs pratiqués par Costa sont relativement élevés Auriez vous des conseils des « bons tuyaux » à me proposer? Nous y allons avec nos 2 enfants 9 et 13 ans Nous faisons PAP ste Lucie la Barbade grenade Tobago Martinique Je vs remercie de vos bons conseils😊

J’aimerais d’obtenir quelles suggestions concernant herbergements (gîte d'étape ou gîte de groupe ou hotels).

Amicalement, Michael

Qui revient de cette croisière vos impressions ? vos escales faites par vous même des petits tuyaux sympas pour améliorer notre excursion merci

Bonjour,

Nous faisons la croisière Costa "Magie des Caraïbes" sur le Magica du 23 au 30 décembre. Nous sommes une famille de 4 avec un garçon de 11 ans et une fille de 6 ans. Nous voulons faire quelques excursions mais vous imaginez que pour 4 c'est un sacré budget. Nous allons donc les organiser nous-mêmes en prenant des taxis locaux beaucoup moins onéreux. Nous voudrions savoir si d'autres familles seraient intéressés pour mutualiser les frais. C'est en plus beaucoup plus convivial.

En autre nous avons déjà ciblé Pigeon Point Beach à Tobago par exemple