French house design along the River Siene
I’ve always liked French house design, but seeing it in real life while we were sailing along the Seine River was something else. The little villages we passed were so beautiful. The houses looked straight out of a fairytale—cute, neat, and cozy with steep roofs and wooden frames. They had that peaceful countryside look that just makes you want to stop and stare.
The Balmoral arrived in Rouen yesterday at exactly 1:54 PM—or 13:54 in 24-hour format. Personally, I find the 24-hour format easier to use. I’m from the maritime field, where this format is standard. I just mentioned aviation and the military because they use it too. In the end, it really just depends on what you’re used to! 😊
While we were sailing along the Seine River on the way to Rouen, I was really amazed by the villages we passed. The houses were beautiful—I couldn’t stop looking at them. The houses along the river were beautiful – neat, and cozy-looking with steep, tiled roofs and timber-framed designs. They had this classic European countryside feel—really picturesque.
French house design along the River Siene
The Captain was also enjoying the view and mentioned to the French pilot that the houses in France have a similar style to the ones in Germany. I noticed that too. We’ve passed through the Kiel Canal a few times, and the village houses there look quite a lot like the ones along the Seine.
I snapped a few photos along the way—not too many yet, but I’ll keep adding more to this post as I get them.
Oh, and here’s a fun little cultural note—the ship’s bridge floor carpet was just shampooed! That’s not something you hear about every day from someone in the Philippines because, back home, with the warm climate, most houses don’t even have carpets. Floors are usually just plain tiles or wood. But here in Europe, carpets are a must—you wouldn’t want to step on a cold floor, right? The Staff Captain noticed the carpet had started to smell like a weird mix of coffee, tea, chicken wings, ginger, lemon, and milk (yes, really!). So, he had it cleaned yesterday, and now the bridge smells much fresher! 😄
We’ve got two more nights to stay here in port before we sail back to Southampton. I’m also counting down the days to my sign-off—excluding today and the sign-off day itself, there are just 10 days left to go!
Seafarer and Family Man
I'm Dexter— a seafarer by profession, a traveler by passion, and a homebody by choice.
