The time arrived to leave St Jean de Losne and get our summer cruising under
way. John and Irene on Moët Chandon were the first away and headed down
the Saône as far as Chalon sur Saône then onto the Canal du Centre
with Paris as their first main target.
BON VOYAGE
We were waiting for some boiler parts and were then heading up the Bourgogne
canal. After a week or so of getting things ship shape and no sign of the
boiler parts, we decided to set off anyway. Friends back in St. Jean de Losne
had offered to watch out for the parts and bring them to us, so we dilly dallied
and stayed in Dijon for twelve days until they arrived. While in Dijon we
saw the young geese in the next photo at the marina and don't know what type
they are so Wendy (who works for the RSPB in Cardiff), if you see this, please
let us know.
ANOTHER BELLY FLOP
Someone at the marina said they had not seen any policemen in Dijon. But
David saw four of them on bikes although by the time he had the camera up
and running two had gone.
BOBBIES ON BICYCLES TWO BY TWO
Whilst waiting for the boiler parts we met a young chap from Wales called
Billy. He is married to a French girl and his day job is a golf professional.
His boat is an old Humber boat by the name of "INVINCIBLE". David
asked him when the boat would have been de-commissioned and Billy thought
the early seventies so the next picture is for Peter Strodder. Who knows,
Peter may even have worked on this one!
INVINCIBLE
Lawrence and Ann brought us the parts (many thanks to them) and so we finally
made our way up the Bourgogne. At most locks on the Bourgogne and other canals,
a lot of the locks and lock houses are all decked out and are very pretty.
We are not really fond of garden gnomes but the other ornaments are usually
relics from the past and can be quite interesting. The one in the next photo
cropped up quite a lot but unfortunately we didn't ask what it actually shredded.
We don't suppose you could get away with selling them now unless you fitted
a guard or two.
A PRE B&Q SHREDDER
In France, and probably also in the rest of mainland Europe, a beer is lager.
So when David found a can of Worthington's "creamflow" in number
two hold, it went straight into the fridge. We're not sure where it came from
- maybe Richard and Pete fetched it over? If so, thanks - David really enjoyed
it.
LOOK WHAT I FOUND IN THE HOLD
When we were moored at a place called La Bussiere we called in at an Abbey,
in the grounds of which there was a house built specifically for pigeons.
Each wall is made up of square holes and you would have thought it was for
wine bottles. We had a rough count and worked out that there were enough holes
for about a thousand pigeons. Maybe the monks ate them as opposed to racing
them - I wouldn't think the Abbot would have allowed pigeon fancying!
A PIGEON HOUSE
We moored at a place called Vandenesse, very close to the village of Chateauneuf.
Now being a bit stupid, the phrase "du Pape" sprang to mind (as
in the wine Chateauneuf du Pape). But after a gruelling forty minute walk
to the village (all uphill) we found that it wasn't the same place. Never
mind, we had a nice lunch and the trip back down the hill was great. Of course
it was bad enough going to the wrong Chateauneuf without Pamela remarking
that Chateauneuf roughly translates as Newcastle. Newcastle on Bourgogne doesn't
really have the same appeal does it?
CHATEAUNEUF
The proprietor of the restaurant we ate at whilst at Chateauneuf was also
the proud owner of the Citroen in the next photo. Apparently it is coming
up to its 50th birthday soon. It makes our Ford Escort seem quite young at
21.
1957 CITROEN CV
Time to give our cat Gromit a mention. We often come across other cats and
we don't know why but Gromit seems to get on quite well with them. He never
liked other cats at home in England. The one at Vandenesse was only about
a year old and was a dead ringer for Gromit at that age. One evening, after
dark, Pamela saw Gromit and his new pal being chased by a dog. Gromit ended
up stranded up a Hawthorne tree with any attempt to reverse down coming to
a sharp and abrupt stop.
Sorry about this, but shouting Gromit to come down didn't do any good as the
reply was as you would expect....... Me? How?
So it was back to the boat for David, to change into something less comfortable
and thorn proof. He then had to remove the three planters (with our lettuces
in them) which were hanging from the gangplank ladder on the dinghy davits
before he could proceed to the aforementioned tree to attempt a rescue. The
ladder is about 13 foot long and just reached where Gromit was perched. David
managed to get to stroke Gromit and calm him down a little. But we didn't
think that he would attempt to come down an aluminium ladder head first without
some coaxing. Surprisingly however, down Gromit marched as if he did it on
a daily basis! There isn't much room on a ladder for passing traffic but he
just walked on past David without so much as a bye your leave.
I USED TO BE THIN ONCE
David used to have something at work called an idiot board, which was somewhere
to hang your tools etc. and where, with luck, you could always find stuff
when you wanted it. But of course everything can be taken to the extreme like
the chap who lives in this lock house in the next photo.
NOW WHERE'S MY HAMMER?
As we mentioned before, some of the garden ornaments are originals (like
the shredder) and the one in the next photo, a simple plough, was quite beautiful.
It must have been a masterpiece as far as the maker was concerned.
A NICE PIECE OF WOOD AND METALWORK
One of Pamela's biggest worries is Gromit jumping ship when we are going
through a lock. So guess what he did - just that!
Although he is normally fast asleep when we are on the move, we do generally
check that he is still on board as we start to move out of a lock. But on
this occasion he wasn't to be found!
David raised the alarm - "Don't panic, but I can't find Gromit"
he shouted.
We were travelling with another couple (David and Liz on the boat INGRID)
and immediately everyone was searching both vessels. It's surprising how many
silly places you look in, closed cupboards/wardrobes etc. We tried to remember
when we last saw David on board and decided it was only a few locks back.
Fortunately the locks were all quite close together, so Pamela decided to
set off backtracking whilst we got the boats through the lock and moored up
so we could join the search.
David and Liz set off on their bikes to follow Pamela and, they told us later,
practiced calling Gromit in a northern England accent as it just didn't sound
quite right in a Canadian one!
David set off back to the last lock, where we had first realised he was missing.
It seemed a long walk and it was a very hot afternoon. This particular lock
had some really beautiful bushes with lots of colour that we had all remarked
on as we passed through earlier. David was calling out to "Gromit"
and getting no response, but decided to look under some low hanging bushes
- just the sort of place Gromit might curl up under back in Mirfield. He wasn't
under the first bush but lo and behold he was under one about 20 feet away
and when he walked out gave what you would have to describe as a distressed
meow.
At that moment, David could just see Liz in the distance disappearing down
the towpath on her bike, so he shouted her name but that frightened Gromit.
So he daren't shout again as he was still 20 feet from Gromit who was scared.
David had the mobile phone and had David and Liz's number, but no signal!!!
It felt great to find Gromit but, as Liz disappeared out of sight, it was
also like not being spotted by a passing ship when you are on a desert island.
David caught hold of Gromit by his red harness but didn't have Gromit's lead
so decided to ring the bell on the lockhouse door to beg a piece of string.
But no answer. Struggling to think of how to make a lead and trying to find
shade for them both back on the towpath, David thought that the back of the
lock keeper's car might provide shade for Gromit. But Gromit was still frightened
and wouldn't go in the right direction. With no lead, David decided to improvise
and use his belt. But his shorts were bought at a time when he was putting
on weight and buying "big" was his philosophy. Hence, he now had
Gromit and his shorts both trying to escape!
David was hot, not thinking straight and wondering what Gromit might prefer
as a lead. What did David have that was long enough? The hem on his T shirt
- that might do! Luckily, he still had his pen knife in his pocket (always
at hand for an emergency in a lock - cutting a jammed rope etc.).
Imagine the scene... David and Gromit stood behind the lock keepers car with
he/she possibly watching, as David had rung the door bell. Gromit attached
to David's belt and David stood with legs spread wide apart to prevent his
shorts dropping around his ankles, while at the same time wielding his penknife
about cutting up his T shirt.
It's right what they say you know - truth is stranger than fiction!
Of course David soon had the situation under control with Gromit fastened
to a strip of his T shirt and his shorts securely held again by the belt.
David did have a small bottle of water with him but couldn't get Gromit to
drink any. Gromit did however want to either go in the wrong direction or
not walk at all. Being picked up was never one of his favourite pastimes so
progress was painfully slow. David was so pleased when he caught sight of
Pamela returning down the towpath in their direction.
We think Gromit had been lost for about an hour in total. Whatever must have
gone through his mind? He was very distressed. Of course his home is always
on the move and his surroundings are different every day when we are cruising.
But he has never misplaced his home before!
When told the tale of the improvised lead, our friend David's only query was...
why didn't you use your shoe lace for a lead? Well as a snooker enthusiast,
David always saw the best shots when he was watching, never when he was playing.
But he still felt a bit daft all the same.
Gromit was soon back to normal and decided that in future, he is going to
be in the driving seat - but then we think that perhaps he always has been!
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
On a more serious note, in one village we noticed gravestones at the side
of the road and wondered if they were to do with traffic accidents. Often
in England, a bunch of flowers jammed in railings signifies that someone has
been killed in an accident. But these were proper headstones so we went to
examine one of them. It seems that during the last war, a local was shot by
the Nazis on this exact spot. All the war memorials in France are normally
better than the ones in England. But then they fought in France, on French
soil, not in England, so we think that may be why they take it all a bit more
seriously. It is hard to imagine a local from our village or town being killed
by the enemy in our street.
LEST WE FORGET
On a lighter note, a game of Boules at teatime or early evening always goes
down well. We can usually manage two games with the decider the day after.
In the next photo you can see our friend David (the Carlisle Canadian) measuring
the distances with a twig. Of course these twigs don't have to be regulation
size or shape for that matter but should only be resorted to when the shoe
method needs a little more accuracy. We have even been known to fetch a tape
measure from the boat for some really tough ones.
THE TWIG METHOD
Some of the lock gate mechanisms remind David of the spinning mules they
used to have "down at t'mill". Some gates have "ratchets and
pawls" whilst the one in the next picture looks as if it might have been
a "Quadrant Barrel chain" in its former life.
BARREL AND CHAIN
As the temperature continued to rise it got to 39 C in the wheelhouse, with
all doors and windows open and a 12 inch fan blowing full blast at that. We
found that the best thing to do in such heat is to stop by lunchtime before
it gets too hot, find some shade and chill out for the rest of the day - although
our friend David (from the boat INGRID) sometimes finds it hard to chill out
as he was a butcher in Canada and spent most of his working life at around
5 C (in the meat lockers etc)! David dug out the hammock and most of the time,
was able find a couple of trees to sling it to. As you will see from the next
photo, it didn't take "you know who" very long to try it out and
then let David sit in his favourite chair. This year Gromit seems to be coping
quite well with the high temperature and is sure to find a cool spot if there
is one about.
GROMIT'S FAVOURITE CHAIR
The next photo shows yet another fine display at one of the locks. You can
just see one of our baskets of herbs as we go down in the lock, but of course
it is quite dull in comparison.
YET ANOTHER FINE DISPLAY
The main thing that disappoints us in France is the lack of street markets.
When we do find one, they are all selling ladies tops, anoraks, jeans and
handbags and if you find a stall selling fresh veg. you end up paying more
than if you had bought at the supermarket.
But in the bigger towns they have purpose built halls, like the covered market
in Huddersfield, and these sell useful things like food. The buildings are
usually very traditional, old and full of atmosphere. Whenever we find one,
they're great places to visit and people watch.
AT THE VEG STALL
Another great tradition that has gone by the wayside is the washhouse. All
the villages had them and fortunately lots of them have survived, from the
most simple to some really fancy ones. The one in the next picture was one
of three that still remain in the town of Brienon. It was a very hot day and
Liz suggested that in the old days, it was probably the best job you could
have when the weather was really hot. "I'm just going to do some washing
dear" a wife might say, then she'd nip down to the wash house (always
under cover), dunk her feet in the cool water and sit chatting with her mates.
This particular wash house was set below street level, round, and as you can
see very beautifully kept.
AT THE WASH HOUSE
We came out of the Bourgogne canal and are now at a very pretty town on
the river Yonne called Joigny. We can see, from where we're moored, GRAPE
VINES!!!!!
Yes they do exist - we can't believe that we've travelled through Burgundy
without seeing any from the boat until now.
Pamela took this next picture soon after we arrived. The sky looked menacing
but the early evening sun seemed to light up the town.
JOIGNY
We thought that a picture of our friend's David and Liz might be a nice
addition to this update. Unfortunately, when David went round to their boat
with the camera, our friend David wasn't available. Liz said he was busy doing
something on the back deck.
You can just see him above Liz - perhaps he was looking at something on the
underside of one of the chairs, or training for the Luge?
SORRY BUT DAVID'S BUSY
We managed to send an email yesterday, which is the first for ages, and
unfortunately have started to get lots of junk mail (19 out of 22 yesterday).
We are trying to stop them from downloading with "message rules"
but the junk is clever and they seem to get around any block we make. We are
however going to reduce the size of allowed mail coming in, SO, keep them
emails short or we might not receive them. About half a printed page should
be OK.
We are heading for Auxerre next and expecting a visit from Pamela's sister,
Pat. We will be on, we are told, the prettiest canal in France "The Nivernais"
