I shot this photograph in the town of Les Baux, officially Les Baux-de-Provence, in the south of France while sailing the Rhone River with Viking River Cruises on their 8-DayPortraits of Southern France cruise.
Roughly 15 miles northeast of Arles, France, this tiny village with a population of 22 people lies atop a rocky outcrop in the Alpilles mountains. Les Baux owes its name to the aluminum ore bauxite which was discovered there in the early 19th century.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.
This beautiful village has traces of habitation dating back as far as 6000 BC, and former residents claimed ancestry with the Magi King Balthazar and even placed the Star of Bethlehem on their coat of arms. During the Middle Ages Les Baux was the seat of a powerful feudal lordship that controlled vast regions around the village.
Further, according to Wikipedia, “the lords of Baux were deposed in the 12th century. However, the great castle at Les Baux became renowned for its court, famed for a high level of ornateness, culture and chivalry. The domain was finally extinguished in the 15th century with the death of the last princess of Baux, Alice of Baux.
Les Baux was later joined, along with Provence, to the French crown under the governance of the Manville family. It became a center for Protestantism and its unsuccessful revolt against the crown led Cardinal Richelieu in 1632 to order that the castle and its walls should be demolished.
The town was granted in 1642 to the Grimaldi family, rulers of Monaco, as a French marquisiate. To this day the title of Marquis des Baux remains with the Grimaldis, although administratively the town is entirely French. The title is traditionally given to the heir to the throne of Monaco. Princess Caroline of Monaco uses the style Marquise des Baux, but, being a French title it can only pass through a male line under Salic law. It lapsed on the death of her grandfather Prince Louis II, the last male in a direct line”.
Post tenebras lux
In my photograph at the top of this article, one of the demolished village buildings has the inscription Post tenebras lux which translates from Latin as “after darkness, light”. As mentioned in the Wikipedia article above, Les Baux was once a stronghold for the new protestants in the early days of Protestantism, but the small band scattered in the early 17th century after the local Catholic cardinal ordered the destruction of the castle and its walls.
Today, Les Baux is predominantly a tourist town where busloads of folks walk the narrow streets to enjoy scenic views, a plethora of boutique shops (like the cheese shop in my photo), and the picturesque ruins of many of its buildings, and in particular the castle.
If you find yourself in the south of France, we would highly recommend a half-day visit to the little village of Les Baux. Grab some lunch in one of the tiny restaurants, stroll the cobblestone streets, and enjoy a little shopping.
If you like, there is even a small hotel in the tiny village which is certain to give you an extraordinary experience after the busloads of tourists leave.
We have grown to love the south of France, and the tiny village of Les Baux is a real standout in our memories. We highly recommend it! 😀
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Remember back a number of years ago when the airlines started charging passengers for checked luggage? The immediate result was huge numbers of folks trying to bring everything aboard the aircraft and attempting to stuff it in the overhead bins.
The airlines cracked down, and limited passengers to one carry-on and one personal item. Even so, if you’re not one of the first seated on the aircraft, you’re likely to have no bin space for your carry-on luggage. Right? :O
Well, Boeing has announced a new bin system for newer aircraft that will allow nearly 50% more carry-on luggage aboard. How? They made the bins taller so that they can accommodate the bags on their sides instead of having to lay them flat in the bin. Click the above photograph to get a better view.
The other good news? Boeing is able to retrofit their existing aircraft with these new bins. So, fingers crossed, perhaps we can get rid of this particular annoyance sometime in the future.
Wouldn’t that be nice! 😀
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Our client Judy just got home from a Viking River Cruise that included the Normandy Beaches. She says, “I thought you might like to see our chef. I am the one on bottom left holding his hand and hoping his culinary skills transfer”. Welcome home Judy, and we’re tickled to death that you had such a good time!
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Planet Traveler introduces the first ever full-line of smart luggage. Four years in development has achieved the ideal balance between the design expected in premium luggage, and the most integrated connected technology ever offered. Worldwide tracking, hands free calling, biometric security, anti-theft alarms.
I thought as a reader of our travel website that you might get a kick out of this new space-age suitcase that has just come on the market.
Here’s the scoop:
Born from 30 years of experience in the luggage industry, the team at Planet Traveler is introducing the true next generation of luggage. Designed to specifically balance technology, style, and function, the Space Case 1 luggage line is engineered to be the ultimate travel companion.
Planet Traveler launched the Space Case 1 on Kickstarter June 1st to fund the first orders. The campaign offered both carry-on and check-in sized cases in a variety of exterior colors and textures.
“Consumers are reacting positively to an emerging trend of building luggage around tech,” said Planet Traveler CEO Harry Sheikh. “We have actually been working on the Space Case 1 for over four years, and believe we have finally perfected the integration of tech into our beautifully designed luggage. We didn’t set out to just design a smart suitcase. Our goal was to be the first to offer a full line of attractive smart luggage.”
To begin, Space Case 1 offers a variety of sizes, exterior colors, exclusive designs, and unique virtually indestructible textures, just as you might find with a premium suitcase. However, upon closer inspection you will find these cases have a surprising array of more technological functionality than any other luggage currently offered, making Space Case 1 the undeniable leader in consolidated smart travel technology. Here is a summary of the tech conveniences: (see appendix for more details)
Smartphone app control (IOS, Android) of all functionality. Smartwatch interface.
Biometric fingerprint locking for up to 5 travelers. State of the art security.
Free worldwide GPS Tracking.
Digital scale integrated into the wheels. No lifting necessary.
Bluetooth speaker and microphone – Play music. Make hands-free calls.
Anti-theft proximity security. When the app moves beyond 40 feet from your case the phone is notified, and an alarm can sound through the case speaker.
Triple USB 12 Amp charging ports (Dual external, third internal in carry-on laptop compartment only).
Personal Concierge – On demand information for departure and arrival times & gates, book flights, hotels, car rentals and more.
10 Year Warranty with 24 hour repair worldwide.
The Space Case 1 line of smart luggage is currently comprised of both a carry-on (19.5″/49.5cm) and check-in sized (29″/73.6cm) suitcase. More sizes and profiles are being introduced periodically, and will offer a complete suite of luggage utility in 2015.
What do you think? Do you see a Space Case in your future? ?:-)
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Vietnam, Cambodia & the Riches of the Mekong River Cruise
AmaWaterways’ Vietnam, Cambodia & the Riches of the Mekong river cruise is one of the most exotic and unforgettable journeys. Marvel at ancient temples, mist-covered mountains and colorful floating markets along the Mekong River as you travel by river cruise through two of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful countries.
Along the way, visit a Buddhist monastery, the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh, and try your hand at the delicate art of rice papermaking. Their deluxe river cruise ships on the Mekong River feature regionally-inspired cuisine, spa treatments and a pool on the sun deck so that guests can return to luxury after each exotic adventure.
Mekong River Cruises Starting at $1,999/person PLUS $200 Bonus Savings!*
For a printable version of this flyer, CLICK HERE.
For more information, or to book this fabulous river cruise, call us at (480) 550-1235, or use our convenient online information request form by clicking here.
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The Roaming Boomers
This beautiful village has traces of habitation dating back as far as 6000 BC, and former residents claimed ancestry with the Magi King Balthazar and even placed the Star of Bethlehem on their coat of arms. During the Middle Ages Les Baux was the seat of a powerful feudal lordship that controlled vast regions around the village.
Today, Les Baux is predominantly a tourist town where busloads of folks walk the narrow streets to enjoy scenic views, a plethora of boutique shops (like the cheese shop in my photo), and the picturesque ruins of many of its buildings, and in particular the castle.
