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Henley-on-Thames: Rowing Mecca of the World
Outside, the first snowstorm of the new year is blustering, enveloping my world in a blanket of white. So I’ve decided to add a little colour to the day and escape to a realm of blue. And I’m accomplishing this by paying a return visit to Henley-on-Thames: rowing Mecca of the world, as I see it. I visited this picturesque, British town this past summer, during my first post-COVID trip oversees. This sojourn to Henley was one of the highlights of a week-long, women’s rowing tour down the Thames. And the contrast with today’s weather could hardly be greater. Heat Wave For our tour from Oxford to Windsor took place…
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Adventure Rowing Down the Ebro: Miravet
The beautiful spring weather we’re currently experiencing takes me back to the rowing tour of Spain’s Ebro River that I completed at this time of year in 2019. And looking back at these photos of one of my last pre-pandemic journeys brings a tear to my eye. Our small, but hardy, group of avid rowers had already rowed over the Sunken Village of Fayón, taken the Pilgrimage to Fontcalda and successfully navigated le Mar de Aragon. And, having departed Massaluca, we were now on our way to the charming town of Miravet in the province of Tarragona. Rowing Down a Lazy River After experiencing some challenging conditions on a couple…
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A Row Through Paris: La Traversée de Paris en Aviron
It was a cool, clear September morning as over a thousand rowers slipped their rowing sculls into the Seine on the edge of Paris. The full moon reflected off the water as the rowers took their seats in the boats and waited patiently in the darkness. At exactly 7:00 AM, the horn sounded and the oars of 220 sculls began to churn the water. Overhead, on the Pont de Sèvres, fireworks heralded the start of our 28 kilometre journey, la Traversée de Paris et des Hauts-de-Seine, a row through Paris. The Crew Convenes My Toronto crew and I had begun our tour experience the day before, convening at le MiniPalais…
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Palau de Miravet: A House of Art and Music
Not far from the coast, in the Tarragona region of northwestern Spain, sits the idyllic town of Miravet. And here, overlooking the Ebro river, lies a most wonderful vacation home, the fantastical Palau de Miravet. I had the great joy of spending two nights here in the spring of 2019 while adventure rowing down the Ebro. And from the river is the best way to first approach this charming house. For its pale blue facade shines out amongst its sand-coloured neighbours like a beacon welcoming you home.After docking our sculls at the embarcadero, my fellow rowers and I made our way along the narrow, stone-paved street to Palau de Miravet.…
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Adventure Rowing Down the Ebro: Mequinenza – Massaluca
Our second day on the water of this amazing rowing tour through Spain dawned overcast and drizzly. This was quite a contrast from the heat and sun of the previous day. Despite this, we bundled up and headed out. We were determined to keep to our schedule. We were also looking forward to a visit to the sunken village of Fayón the following day. The weather continued to worsen as we traversed the Caspe-Mequinenza Reservoir. However, the sight of an abandoned monastery majestically mounted on the cliffs of the Ebro brought us a ray of sunshine that chilly morning. Battling the Mighty Ebro Shortly after though, our greatest challenge of…
