Got up even later, which precluding any thought of getting Albert
"blessed".
Breakfast "in due course" with traditional Sunday eggs - boiled
these days, not baked in patypans as days of yore. How are the mighty fallen.
I am not sure that that is relevant - I cannot believe the mighty - fallen or
unfallen - habitually breakfasted on baked eggs in pattypans. Anyway, it could
be considered pretentious to claim that we are mighty.
After breakfast wandered through to village to see what gave on river.
Lots of boats of all sizes with flags and bunting, and enormous trip boat
pounding up and down river with a couple of Holy Fathers in the bows, and lots
of notables in suits, and TV crew pushing cameras and sound booms up nostrils
of all. Boat had 3 tone horn, that could have been interpreted as church bell
by the tone deaf and hard of hearing (listening challenged).
Watched from bank, walked around a bit, then went back to our peaceful berth
up the canal for lunch.
Amazed to see - on arrival at boat - a "Wilderness Otter" moored
behind us. This is a plastic sort of narrow boat, 20 foot, driven by an
outboard, and carried around from canal to canal on a trailer behind a
reasonably large motor-car. They are a cult boat, and lots moor up at Pewsey.
Ate on bank, then read books for a bit. Decided that that wasn't what we
came to France for. (it must be admitted that the even tenor of our ways is a
bit screwed up with visits - it has not been our scene either to stay still,
to be anywhere on time - or even date, and we have lost the knack - we are
"travellers"!
Came down through lock again - lots of gongoozlers watching - Sunday - but
suspect the could be watching L.K. Nice looking girl with neat bum, adequacy
elsewhere, and considerable skill with the windlasses.
Out onto river, but still millions of boats farting around covered with
flags, and gnats in amongst them. Party of hopefuls dressed in traditional
dress trying to get a raft of large logs (the canals and rivers were
originally commercialised to transport firewood to Paris in log form) pulled
by 3 horses abreast going, but last we saw was the raft being pulled across
the river by an inflatable with a crew of 4) and the horses being re-loaded in
a lorry.
Went up river as far as St Symphorien, to charge batteries and empty loo.
Then turned, and found mooring spot on river bank with large trees to tie up
to (pins - even 4 - won't hold the boat with these idiots - especially the
Germans - about) and overshadowed by willows. Bucolic and peaceful once the
weirdoes went home.
Haymaking on river banks (and everywhere else as well) - saw 1 herd, amongst
the many many cattle that we have seen that wasn't Charolais.
Tea and drinks!
June 21
Monday
1 Mile up river from St Jean to Choisey (loo factory)
Left river mooring quite early to return down to St Jean.
All Sunday's excitement over, most boats gone, but no room at key. Breasted
up to a small private plastic gin palace, carefully, and with ropes going to
rings on shore.
Owners returned, so asked permission - woman radiated hate, would not speak
to S, even to greet, and was utterly miserable. Fellow - bearded and bald -
about our age, jovially agreed! We think they were having a private domestic.
S. went shopping, but thought whilst breasted up one of us ought to remain
on boat, so stayed put.
S. came back with shopping, and neighbours started engine, so we untied, let
them out whilst female continued to radiate hate. She drove, and did best to
involve us in some sort of collision that would be our fault. They went about
700 yards into the marina - H20.
Off they went, and we comfortably Snugged down to quayside and had lunch.
Waited for Thornes - due at 13.20.
Finally Bill arrived on his own - they had been taken to the cafe by the
bridge over the canal where we slept last night as opposed to the cafe by the
bridge over the River Saonne! However, everyone they asked had seen us, and
new all about us - the joys of a "different" boat - we will never
get away with anything.
Took boat through to lock entrance to pick them up - Angela had bad foot
(broken ankle in Vancouver).
Weather started going horrid - howling cold wind and rain, so went back up
river to last night's mooring, and had tea etc and waited it out.
Set off about tea time for the Canal de Rhone a Rhine, 3 miles up river and
turn left at St. Symphorienne.
Up 3 locks straight away, then into very ordinary country. Long straights,
high banks, dark trees right down to the water. Several more locks - Morale
not too high!
Into stretch of utter factory - dark satanic pipes, heaps of coal, disused
weed covered railway lines - 'orrid.
Just made the last lock out of this 'orror into a stretch of fractionally
more civilised canal, and tied up to the towing path outside a lavatory
factory. Thousands of ceramic loos and sinks on pallets in the yard all
wrapped in plastic. However, we were tired and bored, and there was no ways we
were going on, so there followed a thoroughly convivial evening on the boat.
So far, we were most unimpressed and bored by the Canal de Rhone a Rhine!
June 22
Tuesday
Loo Factory at Choisy to Rochefort.
Canal started to come right - nice country, quite English, but we are now in
the time of year when the sides of the canal are overgrown with grass and
reeds, so difficult to see out.
Through electric and finally fully automatic lock into Dole.
Lovely town, built on hill with Cathedral (Notre Dame) on summit. Lovely
views of up to 5 house roofs all overlooking the other in steps from the
bottom. Flowers in boxes hung on every imaginable spot - railing, walls and
everything. Most satisfactory stopping place.
Moored up at finger pontoon in Port de Plaisance ("Wilmur" and
large hire - Nichol's - in residence), and went and had look round town. Nice
- all streets don't seem to join up, they just disappear round the corner.
Bought wine and cheese - lots of each!
Drinks (had to taste wine bought) and lunch on nice grass, amongst flower
beds, under trees, in civilised fashion in our own chairs. Sunny, but still
very cool, with quite strong E or N wind. Trouser and sweat shirt conditions.
Fun lunch on grass. After lunch Dick from Wilmer visited and entertained us.
Claimed to have had his boat sunk under him 5 times! Quite a card.
Back up town for Bill to cash traveller's cheque, and visit Cathedral.
Enormous, with massive round pillars beautifully moulded into stone support
beams in roof supports.
Back to boat, made our farewells to Wilmur - they are off to Oz on Saturday
- and pushed off up river. Didn't really want to stop in Dole, and village
mooring marked about 1 hours run away.
Pleasant but dull run - high banks and long grass hiding very pleasant
bucolic scenery.
Rochefort sur Nennon moorings only 2 boats long, and one already occupied by
hire boat, but nice enough. Overshadowed by cliffs that this part of the run
is famous for.
Weather warmed up, light lovely, and moorings really very nice, even though
advertised water was, in fact, in an ablution block a long way from water's
edge.
June 23
Wednesday
Rochefort to Osselle.
The 2 places above are very small villages, and unlikely to be marked on any
but large scale maps.
Lunch in Moulin des Malades hanging in current - arrived at lock 12.02!
Watered up at Dampierre - France asleep at 14.15.
Lovely run - country and buildings slowly changing from our perception of
French to Austrian/Swiss/Alpine.
Locks electric with radar box of tricks we carry and point at locks from
distance like TV channel zapper. Press titty, and locks all work.
Extraordinarily effective and efficient and restful.
Moored up 5 kms beyond Saint Vit at Osselle.
This mooring looked ideal - right height vertical walls of stone.
Nice pic-nic area. Overlooking river about 50 feet below, with an ancient
edifice tucked away in one corner overhanging the river with a hole in the
floor just asking to be peed through. Promptly christened it "Bill's
Pissoir" (Bill has a prostate problem).
Set out chairs and drinks. - then the frogs started, and got louder and
louder.
They were ghastly, and interfered with sleep. Some you win, and etc etc.
June 24
Thursday
Osselle to Besancon.
Frogs
Truly remarkable run.
Long and relaxed lunch in brand new and very nice "haulte
Nautique" at Thoraise.
Made Besancon 1900 - tired, but absolutely no-where to stop previously.
Quick chunter around to suss area - object to find dinner cafe. We're in
wrong end of town so settled for a couple of beers, back to boat for supper.
June 25
Friday
Spent day in Besancon.
Market in morning - vegs etc.
To Citadel - fortifications - all afternoon. Magnificent.
Citadel truly magnificent - have to say that it competes favourably with
Edinburgh Castle
Persuaded to take "La Petite Train" up to Citadel. Ghastly
equipage of tractor disguised, rather badly, as rly engine, pulling 5 or 6
coaches - 4 wheeled trailers thinly disguised as rly carriages, filled with
about 300 screaming overexcited 10-12 year olds.
Can't describe Citadel - one of those visits one enjoys by remembering, but
the high point (no pun intended) was walking along battlements, several
hundred metres long, with a vertical drop below to the town or river of
several hundred feet.
Quite magnificent.
Clear, sunny and very hot and dry.
Back to boat for supper. "Petite Casino" for quick shop - small
one.
June 26
Saturday
In Besoncan.
Intended to leave, but it pissed with rain solidly all day.
Stayed on in city moorings.
Veg buying expedition in afternoon (it was nearly as bad as that
boredom-wise).
Covered Market in city, etc. Poor sods were fully stocked, but weather kept
buyers away, so plenty of choice.
Then decided to go out for supper.
No cafe area around us, but had received directions, so walked through on
spec.
Lots of cafes, but all empty and dull looking. Eventually decided - for no
particular reason except propriotix had nice smile - on "Classique
Chat" (Chat Classique"?
turned out to be bloody good and well worth it. In actual fact, in our
innocence, we just got the last unreserved table. Suddenly the whole area came
alive at about 2030, with people milling around everywhere, pouring into the
cafes. Anyone not booked was unlucky.
