tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25834933823182398022024-03-27T16:54:37.676-07:00C.A.R.I.B. III - Chill And Relax It's Bargetime . . .Lon or Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14924791374179642070noreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-72189726767536875622024-03-23T07:44:00.000-07:002024-03-23T07:44:43.828-07:00The 2024 Cruising Season Beckons<p>Our return flights to France are booked for Tuesday, April 9. It's unbelievable how fast our 6 months in Florida seems to have passed this year. Maybe it's because we had the December trip to European Christmas markets, but whatever the reason, it's a little hard to wrap our heads around a travel date that is rapidly approaching. We just have to get past a potential "glitch."</p><p>On March 7 I tripped during my dog-walking shift at Pet Pal Animal Shelter and managed to break a couple of bones in my left hand. They were enclosed, non-displaced fractures, so I have every hope that they will heal quickly and without complications, but I'll have a better idea next Friday (March 29th) at the 3-week mark when my current cast is removed, and the hand is x-rayed again.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMK4Sf-IOjbaZ4EAmIzEn9ldPUoMJtw-PYOcow0hIU3_aEn53slKP9yen7iq2Mgc_lo1UkIashfP_RZCqtdT2eazqrBX3SytyVoXcMxyLfN-H93Q2L1Nfcy0ofWm7Oa6b_Eu64V5sA65nTGH2hvXlbUhvCWD-0Cq06QPwW8k5RAA1JqMbM2z-4lLyYGYw/s4000/20240309_093908%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMK4Sf-IOjbaZ4EAmIzEn9ldPUoMJtw-PYOcow0hIU3_aEn53slKP9yen7iq2Mgc_lo1UkIashfP_RZCqtdT2eazqrBX3SytyVoXcMxyLfN-H93Q2L1Nfcy0ofWm7Oa6b_Eu64V5sA65nTGH2hvXlbUhvCWD-0Cq06QPwW8k5RAA1JqMbM2z-4lLyYGYw/s320/20240309_093908%5B1%5D.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><p>In the best-case scenario, I will get a removable cast and hand exercises, and can complete my healing in France. I don't care to contemplate other possibilities at the moment, but will deal with them if next week's doctor visit indicates that I must.</p><p>In any case, when we get back to Auxerre we will have to do the usual spring stuff: de-winterize the water system, clean inside and outside, and restock the galley. Our departure date from the marina to begin cruising will depend on water conditions--Is there high water? Is the current too fast?--and the status of a couple of boat projects. The hope is that we will be underway by late April or early May; however, the only "schedule" that we have to keep (and even that has some flexibility) is an October 1 return to the U.S., so essentially, we have several months to cover the following route at a relaxed pace:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKj9SDxbWRAuHn6adzC0tXa8feKomdrDVOJXthT4sK6zk_jM2Va-RFWx1LZCwDOi0cqZqan3UR0KqtytndwWl7mNIh-tMPEyd_0UYKg5NzzKMlY9HAFOE6y87welbikKbWAPl4FxnJ_-wAUVASisInupFMs548bMEafClk2yONkQH636s8V9eAAfvc9w/s1067/2024Map2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="1067" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKj9SDxbWRAuHn6adzC0tXa8feKomdrDVOJXthT4sK6zk_jM2Va-RFWx1LZCwDOi0cqZqan3UR0KqtytndwWl7mNIh-tMPEyd_0UYKg5NzzKMlY9HAFOE6y87welbikKbWAPl4FxnJ_-wAUVASisInupFMs548bMEafClk2yONkQH636s8V9eAAfvc9w/w640-h544/2024Map2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">1. Start in Auxerre (at upper left) and head north on the Yonne River</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Short out-and-back cruise on the Canal de Bourgogne</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Yonne River to confluence with the Seine River</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Short cruise east on the Petite Seine (not shown) to Nogent-sur-Seine; turn around</div><div style="text-align: left;">5. West on the Seine to the Canal du Loing</div><div style="text-align: left;">6. South on the Canal du Loing, Canal de Briare, Canal lateral a la Loire </div><div style="text-align: left;">7. East on the Canal du Centre to the Saone River at Chalon-sur-Saone</div><div style="text-align: left;">8. South on the Saone River to Macon and (maybe) Lyon</div><div style="text-align: left;">9. North on the Saone to an out-and-back cruise on the Seille River</div><div style="text-align: left;">10. North on the Saone to the Petite Saone, finishing at Auxonne (the endpoint being just to the right of Dijon on the map) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, no plans, only aspirations. As always, it will be interesting to see how those aspirations ultimately mesh with reality.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p> </p>Lon or Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14924791374179642070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-24503669341149113492024-01-01T07:41:00.000-08:002024-01-01T07:41:27.276-08:00Epilogue: To Market, To Market<p>No, we are not putting C.A.R.I.B. III up for sale.</p><p>After we returned to Florida in October, one of our first orders of business was to renew our passports. Although three blank pages in each of our passports was probably <i>technically</i> sufficient for our 2024 French visa application, a comment had been made when we applied for our 2023 French visas that we might want to consider getting new passports to ensure that we had enough blank pages for our next visa application. We don't think it wise to test the limits of the French visa system, and having read the horror stories about the delays in U.S. passport application processing, we submitted our passport renewal applications just over a week after we were back in Florida. We paid for the expedited process, but were still amazed when we had our new passports in 3 weeks--much quicker than the 5-7 week estimate on the State Department website. </p><p>We decided to celebrate by breaking in our new passports on a "theme" trip that we'd been considering for a while: Christmas Markets in Europe. So many cities and towns to choose from for our December 7-19 trip, but we finally decided upon:</p><p>Vienna--for a chance to meet up with our Austrian friend Kitty, who now lives in Bath, England, but would be visiting her Viennese hometown in December;</p><p>Munich--for a chance to see a German Xmas market, and an easy 4-hour train ride from Vienna;</p><p>Strasbourg--to see the self-styled "Christmas Capitol of France" that we'd heard good things about, and finally;</p><p>Paris--for a chance to see Paris from a very different perspective than what we're used to in boating season--and to see boating friends who are spending the winter in the city.</p><p>Four towns, and as it turned out, four very different travel and market experiences.</p><p>Vienna: <i>Awesome</i> to see Vienna again with Kitty; snow!; decked-out streets in the old center-city; a 343-step climb of the cathedral's south tower; evening crowds (and more crowds).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OjMKBG9mUDWRAxn9qkd3JWABYEZrZqMxk8BaZJi8QjYuirgA6amAqdh-k52ZsGWDsG3kY-OyRWKMAVAQFNvt2PaZDS-gmn6E8f23YyelpmktXTBwifDaKvfhdee37vcG2-XBRqCLNUjeUNLuu1wcj9rdF8kC7x6XXBNNU6Wsh6Lx6W3gWKlSItuRZbM/s4072/20231208_202748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1611" data-original-width="2624" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsc15jBhMc8UP_XVt6_BsAyqKPT_7JsxPhqhwuqJM6SIuE8M3uqqiVm6wSQFis7wQzXHVyTNk2oLqdD4DRbnhfYlgdgzg85BZhg8kN6bVHKqRHXplnNXERmpnqCaJtb-1Rx4u4TET0inhF2O0628h41nGh8-GWyOl10IjgHqX1f04hcmsO0owadxsw2wo/s320/P1060627.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzWkkTOtOiYLvW8cK-U3pIxvU86tuiWPOc9cJN0MyQ6xoHqNYqdPGGUrvxK3VPZd4i_G3mVg7KjeEs6p5Ugw1ivOeYmy1Jlj1MKivc1naRdZUz-yan4b94_jbDnQA1gQdQ4pKYrEGe8W_HSYLcd8J2jOSa_9ZHmGp1GKEZnlA0UhGikIqF_0lR25x6pg/s2624/P1060658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzWkkTOtOiYLvW8cK-U3pIxvU86tuiWPOc9cJN0MyQ6xoHqNYqdPGGUrvxK3VPZd4i_G3mVg7KjeEs6p5Ugw1ivOeYmy1Jlj1MKivc1naRdZUz-yan4b94_jbDnQA1gQdQ4pKYrEGe8W_HSYLcd8J2jOSa_9ZHmGp1GKEZnlA0UhGikIqF_0lR25x6pg/s320/P1060658.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeVIPiKngb1P5aaOwrSfC47D0Ue0Saiog02lXHP_Px9CBXUWF14oPzX7BKH2CeTn5zxSMwSqAbWcfApd6WnsjSMGLb8up6JP7uAyCaYN9k-ldiBYYbqjOT2WUzY40EcFMfJiHRGKZrUiL6MhQaAJjXwFAhiqlOTZwU7Bda5vQcLpD41uOrhazHBjzLDI/s2624/P1060666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1521" data-original-width="2624" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeVIPiKngb1P5aaOwrSfC47D0Ue0Saiog02lXHP_Px9CBXUWF14oPzX7BKH2CeTn5zxSMwSqAbWcfApd6WnsjSMGLb8up6JP7uAyCaYN9k-ldiBYYbqjOT2WUzY40EcFMfJiHRGKZrUiL6MhQaAJjXwFAhiqlOTZwU7Bda5vQcLpD41uOrhazHBjzLDI/w400-h231/P1060666.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Munich: wet, then sunny; charming kiosks; a skating rink; Gluhwein uber alles!; crowds, but less than Vienna; building cranes everywhere.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorcdjiZ-d1yKFJDwMRFNlU73QshiPVtMGp1wmRxZZteTdlRy1TrTKVskb4vbi2QXCNprwcAWMC422RnbeIL2xeuki52e4QhGt5JPbP2MSej5gulSfHv4hTDz2Al41PmLwItlONdcYtCbt3GWRaCZCaztvZbZjqgQOtCChh8IIv_hbjswEVMb5zL17Nqc/s4080/20231212_133803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3060" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorcdjiZ-d1yKFJDwMRFNlU73QshiPVtMGp1wmRxZZteTdlRy1TrTKVskb4vbi2QXCNprwcAWMC422RnbeIL2xeuki52e4QhGt5JPbP2MSej5gulSfHv4hTDz2Al41PmLwItlONdcYtCbt3GWRaCZCaztvZbZjqgQOtCChh8IIv_hbjswEVMb5zL17Nqc/s320/20231212_133803.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUgRbsEWZ8DgQNnocY0PVSeD6vXF7BpsBD2V2drJzh-sCtQzwsJpXf0ExbgcZzQYzgeUecvF741aBXFmd7b-3rdEusQflUGZa5r7ZDMDdta8t988Mz0cHZqlKIJ2bzSpUgjhL9jhg-VaV_ISScqAKDnJePK71WRiV1OouOoI2N4unIAAxDpucdMfmDJ4/s3801/20231212_134308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3801" data-original-width="3060" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUgRbsEWZ8DgQNnocY0PVSeD6vXF7BpsBD2V2drJzh-sCtQzwsJpXf0ExbgcZzQYzgeUecvF741aBXFmd7b-3rdEusQflUGZa5r7ZDMDdta8t988Mz0cHZqlKIJ2bzSpUgjhL9jhg-VaV_ISScqAKDnJePK71WRiV1OouOoI2N4unIAAxDpucdMfmDJ4/s320/20231212_134308.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaknAk67u4U-G3IzYyBjwtjiAhI8f1Uf4tIpqtbmUabiCvZw42YMX4BURSps5MoCR15-w8fxMRnNVSs1gCRFT9xjRrhU5OX8I9XTQVigjTbwx2kuWFIalcHnOS40rv5F-2WXnNL-0WgwvbvxRaHPmI7koGvzp4E6Ynv3qyE7vz9xCFEECGS00oax7owWc/s3060/20231212_142549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2713" data-original-width="3060" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaknAk67u4U-G3IzYyBjwtjiAhI8f1Uf4tIpqtbmUabiCvZw42YMX4BURSps5MoCR15-w8fxMRnNVSs1gCRFT9xjRrhU5OX8I9XTQVigjTbwx2kuWFIalcHnOS40rv5F-2WXnNL-0WgwvbvxRaHPmI7koGvzp4E6Ynv3qyE7vz9xCFEECGS00oax7owWc/s320/20231212_142549.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIWRA9jIJ6tesPcNx_a7IhyZKYGX5J5g7OonnW_ivXh9wn-Ms6hfeCuwwJRs3EjsDCq7khQILu5R6EC1J3w-6geG9LW45ytp7uAhyKFtxJcxDmmUe0ycSouu7TpbivBs6gJZD0hWT5INxGicpQYzPRuxqrWVfYQ9Y-wG1_vJdkcMdoZtN1aaD3i4WX4g/s2624/P1060716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIWRA9jIJ6tesPcNx_a7IhyZKYGX5J5g7OonnW_ivXh9wn-Ms6hfeCuwwJRs3EjsDCq7khQILu5R6EC1J3w-6geG9LW45ytp7uAhyKFtxJcxDmmUe0ycSouu7TpbivBs6gJZD0hWT5INxGicpQYzPRuxqrWVfYQ9Y-wG1_vJdkcMdoZtN1aaD3i4WX4g/s320/P1060716.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXrzaG3PeTe4F39jDEBMDDZmsOfPrgaW8Zb5VckC081N1kexuWrl7mrKDOM3-6sTtm0qPmYgfZz7ogUatOoo_CYJM3Zhju50rQyQiNZ9rV6f_mdR5kfHxbCYfTEvLzOOUmNX31wGnFKRF1yg1Hx2T8Ce3Tj1bjtqrjEYezg6cJutF8EoOI_BQ0MmaaIg/s2624/P1060719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXrzaG3PeTe4F39jDEBMDDZmsOfPrgaW8Zb5VckC081N1kexuWrl7mrKDOM3-6sTtm0qPmYgfZz7ogUatOoo_CYJM3Zhju50rQyQiNZ9rV6f_mdR5kfHxbCYfTEvLzOOUmNX31wGnFKRF1yg1Hx2T8Ce3Tj1bjtqrjEYezg6cJutF8EoOI_BQ0MmaaIg/s320/P1060719.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxw9rqZDqxxvbXAV40fB_CapVC89Z4_e_bwr5LsWtRMuCsESF6fnKJpZlmiBPHit2D2CQSSwLmJ8UDglOPGsmn2o9whC8w-RlUka_5AyOGAvbVjltrIz2M4MP1jt7-MM33hXn2wE4wF3oJDIvsb6YbLhrL-EYgPKUGfM_JVRQlJxu6wydhpEGPKT5t5s/s2624/P1060736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxw9rqZDqxxvbXAV40fB_CapVC89Z4_e_bwr5LsWtRMuCsESF6fnKJpZlmiBPHit2D2CQSSwLmJ8UDglOPGsmn2o9whC8w-RlUka_5AyOGAvbVjltrIz2M4MP1jt7-MM33hXn2wE4wF3oJDIvsb6YbLhrL-EYgPKUGfM_JVRQlJxu6wydhpEGPKT5t5s/s320/P1060736.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTypPmaOhyxBzmdIoCwP_-bihrflQrb99OubMT1SP5hAUZXM1ZZpyc61BeBDROe3yy1XaFOItH5VolVgLQhXrqSOWiPOrPHFw49oxzRg9H_oy5aPgzCqlJS8ek6rf26kpkiy0Ih7ACI6kmHnXThORMakypWFajTgFvHwXhMRpkNx4wXdf2V5qhrg0xWos/s2624/P1060743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTypPmaOhyxBzmdIoCwP_-bihrflQrb99OubMT1SP5hAUZXM1ZZpyc61BeBDROe3yy1XaFOItH5VolVgLQhXrqSOWiPOrPHFw49oxzRg9H_oy5aPgzCqlJS8ek6rf26kpkiy0Ih7ACI6kmHnXThORMakypWFajTgFvHwXhMRpkNx4wXdf2V5qhrg0xWos/w400-h300/P1060743.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITx0h9U9i2dE0YqbS0bouTVljyhUi8J4kOuCMxjCDvI25sgkfUiARZnz8rB9RAIGaiGkqj-QoZzqjNVbeZKikM-SCpAa2DNk30paCdh7DaADVXuDB-fHn-Y5vYdWuBEvrWd_Xf4FDtxKazF96ac1ZrG5wTSlGckjlllWqBiQpBZZKOzAVJxbfS0mdg-4/s2624/P1060772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITx0h9U9i2dE0YqbS0bouTVljyhUi8J4kOuCMxjCDvI25sgkfUiARZnz8rB9RAIGaiGkqj-QoZzqjNVbeZKikM-SCpAa2DNk30paCdh7DaADVXuDB-fHn-Y5vYdWuBEvrWd_Xf4FDtxKazF96ac1ZrG5wTSlGckjlllWqBiQpBZZKOzAVJxbfS0mdg-4/s320/P1060772.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhcccKINTRbfUmoKw9EXSlglne5I0KxZqdTg8T4Wa4dFRy4tKZjYOU1YzpNeCCogbXu362gXaVdBvAF0M0TkXHrNKXmIop1XkoprxXYRi6Trnej_XdJKl4s0_fwliD3nmMaRZ2v_U3n0L1U7VA7ip9V5jxYDK4YlUfH45ldCgYA73V96oDPYl4g873xM/s2624/P1060781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPhcccKINTRbfUmoKw9EXSlglne5I0KxZqdTg8T4Wa4dFRy4tKZjYOU1YzpNeCCogbXu362gXaVdBvAF0M0TkXHrNKXmIop1XkoprxXYRi6Trnej_XdJKl4s0_fwliD3nmMaRZ2v_U3n0L1U7VA7ip9V5jxYDK4YlUfH45ldCgYA73V96oDPYl4g873xM/s320/P1060781.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaDHx0xCokABLlq5vYOpqzdd_BHd3bZVYZQ9js6ey_4CKeqhlan7doprBAaBSsvSw4TTPj6yV_rE3j4gfh7wJ1e6to5qWTCe4fijwZBjhfWIUaAHK6JF_UjISWw5v59li2I9Cd5GZgmhopYO9yvFw7t1s3q_m2kiKMdyxOyxIS5E1UWR2XMFfJ1Rk19o/s2250/P1060801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="2250" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaDHx0xCokABLlq5vYOpqzdd_BHd3bZVYZQ9js6ey_4CKeqhlan7doprBAaBSsvSw4TTPj6yV_rE3j4gfh7wJ1e6to5qWTCe4fijwZBjhfWIUaAHK6JF_UjISWw5v59li2I9Cd5GZgmhopYO9yvFw7t1s3q_m2kiKMdyxOyxIS5E1UWR2XMFfJ1Rk19o/w400-h253/P1060801.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHBco4hPIXQ9fcpMRuETarYCxxF5FfqmZtGCCznmFuMlpYeDboHT90l0W_HYo8nNF2IxcXMfDPs3haaVBiSFsmX3kqrnA3rSJdhaVygHdmK4QMhdQeb2z9tLiFIcbGrC4pOL8vOJSmOZDqa6-V2vVXLGZZAEKgRGO5XM391Q3wWfoX_4irpJu3DLZiKc/s2624/P1060843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHBco4hPIXQ9fcpMRuETarYCxxF5FfqmZtGCCznmFuMlpYeDboHT90l0W_HYo8nNF2IxcXMfDPs3haaVBiSFsmX3kqrnA3rSJdhaVygHdmK4QMhdQeb2z9tLiFIcbGrC4pOL8vOJSmOZDqa6-V2vVXLGZZAEKgRGO5XM391Q3wWfoX_4irpJu3DLZiKc/s320/P1060843.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYOneBjThvi4z0TlpjkJZu5pH4axB-aKv-RXce51i_YkxB4L3pdUtiha4J1M0APMQHAQQdB-1-1ZDBRzFwfFFK9Y3o_JS7tlqsHKb6vYtxNShgRGuEVD_XpH8hnz0pjfj_6UWkeyZziiqEqZR_Wpv80Am0i5_uyL0SxF-rzrfIGZB5ZD-uT_82Z4KzjY/s2624/P1070006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYOneBjThvi4z0TlpjkJZu5pH4axB-aKv-RXce51i_YkxB4L3pdUtiha4J1M0APMQHAQQdB-1-1ZDBRzFwfFFK9Y3o_JS7tlqsHKb6vYtxNShgRGuEVD_XpH8hnz0pjfj_6UWkeyZziiqEqZR_Wpv80Am0i5_uyL0SxF-rzrfIGZB5ZD-uT_82Z4KzjY/s320/P1070006.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Strasbourg: Marvelous--the complete package!; Alsatian architecture + Xmas decor = Magic; another cathedral tower to climb; crowds (and more crowds); heavy security; European parliament.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDHrCrs3upNPEZZ1O0rWBmy0S2afkeN6ui8QcmEhv7fIgm_pbEK9NScYbUBofDK4LwfYSao0_-yIpFqMrzkX5nW24onAZSwe3G6qdxBQjUL0DmkAfa77DhUXQ2zgswLex8TGwOJvSUj656YCHr-6IuVXfsmJokqPKcPtIdLVp2jh9DoIyaUC8JdVuYJM/s2624/P1070038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDHrCrs3upNPEZZ1O0rWBmy0S2afkeN6ui8QcmEhv7fIgm_pbEK9NScYbUBofDK4LwfYSao0_-yIpFqMrzkX5nW24onAZSwe3G6qdxBQjUL0DmkAfa77DhUXQ2zgswLex8TGwOJvSUj656YCHr-6IuVXfsmJokqPKcPtIdLVp2jh9DoIyaUC8JdVuYJM/s320/P1070038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1I1-6g6njSCye9oQp8aokl6mfglaCBgCvNLU_mcVdxLfOpB_mnNXwTqsk3LuH8ymaYZ82Nn-_qmB9gAqsKiRMf3raJ4hR91i4w96oknzlLIzHvkkInJTwgNlKVIOZNcnJXw1aWMvorNZBRG24UZ8cvRF1Gk_HyfaOmvdfUpq0wNuyeqsc8MjOY1vfDl4/s2624/P1070060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1I1-6g6njSCye9oQp8aokl6mfglaCBgCvNLU_mcVdxLfOpB_mnNXwTqsk3LuH8ymaYZ82Nn-_qmB9gAqsKiRMf3raJ4hR91i4w96oknzlLIzHvkkInJTwgNlKVIOZNcnJXw1aWMvorNZBRG24UZ8cvRF1Gk_HyfaOmvdfUpq0wNuyeqsc8MjOY1vfDl4/s320/P1070060.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nOgsJIOiwvwm_qbPIP7RXBoOBZph5MxIRXlqLrv6yT9eaWkS3J_GOgWyIIwzS9Xy89meW2MTIvTbwtgTUasK2FZSOJU9I8kV89I99b7JOBKwQ0_qa5hf_-gW_x4kGKl4hE7gazwbVWZL8cpX1p_YwyOiAKkqzu0I-asIuTJkSnuxFy9Gdm-h2rjjDnE/s2624/P1070063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nOgsJIOiwvwm_qbPIP7RXBoOBZph5MxIRXlqLrv6yT9eaWkS3J_GOgWyIIwzS9Xy89meW2MTIvTbwtgTUasK2FZSOJU9I8kV89I99b7JOBKwQ0_qa5hf_-gW_x4kGKl4hE7gazwbVWZL8cpX1p_YwyOiAKkqzu0I-asIuTJkSnuxFy9Gdm-h2rjjDnE/w400-h300/P1070063.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheiEt93zFQl3RYFJay_XDuUeY-L2JwcTmWIj1kpm9UMRVqwh-6loeEtZ6GFfA3PE_oDEmrB4zZKXyTg_ywPz77YwFFs3Z0QSYPN-bHT6JDwpJpvRDU5iI-i6nkEcqhUGHBE94aQ2T5lNh3W-5OG_6IVNg_oHT1riNnd-Jl7Z-nHWOHTE49Qor5xy9dp3k/s320/P1070184.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjjMa5sWzQeTzFp-VSqY-CP2Ao0Lclgh7MSJwdKsxJuY7DlcfM-3ZY6h_oP6Ijpzob6wqNcKBkXmRdVHPV2ocYpmjV5ZQb1DrrZ21iJNQQYYPEUCPm8GNJJEEhl8mJGbxBMZnH7NJKAMzirCwFpRJ-6laXWlSETlhyphenhyphenaVmtY5MVc5-1Mynkro0444XAlA/s2624/P1070214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1786" data-original-width="2624" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjjMa5sWzQeTzFp-VSqY-CP2Ao0Lclgh7MSJwdKsxJuY7DlcfM-3ZY6h_oP6Ijpzob6wqNcKBkXmRdVHPV2ocYpmjV5ZQb1DrrZ21iJNQQYYPEUCPm8GNJJEEhl8mJGbxBMZnH7NJKAMzirCwFpRJ-6laXWlSETlhyphenhyphenaVmtY5MVc5-1Mynkro0444XAlA/s320/P1070214.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><div><br /></div><div>Paris: cold temps, warm hospitality; "homecoming"; Xmas market as carnival.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbuFJhS9ZTfikMNr70k-Sebgziwn-eyDZNIBsQou9hW1RGnxX0BGFkCb1tT-HKDTgr6b-la0-XhyZMC8BU_MZdOsYnI1dDiXb-eYuL-wtAuZtbd5z1R1j-5xwBLzAOmMQcOsCVYRNWAe99ToH6gNM2kpWNBg2mhs0_H46fnLjXAwDKxeV4qXeR-7F_kU/s4000/20231218_153509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2809" data-original-width="4000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbuFJhS9ZTfikMNr70k-Sebgziwn-eyDZNIBsQou9hW1RGnxX0BGFkCb1tT-HKDTgr6b-la0-XhyZMC8BU_MZdOsYnI1dDiXb-eYuL-wtAuZtbd5z1R1j-5xwBLzAOmMQcOsCVYRNWAe99ToH6gNM2kpWNBg2mhs0_H46fnLjXAwDKxeV4qXeR-7F_kU/s320/20231218_153509.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-OnhuNjNS4coXYyDAFXmSDsAFMbfDdpmdMG-0gA3xY8HiSW-vwJfnUPS_G_LT2bf1rg1rWaDDpqzJzQqAGf_9hHQvuaWFV1BVQ-xYc1niQC1azTzLMyrgfvZWUC4i-AnJx2pVppvpHxQya5bOhw5ZDJGBDV7sOtmIe4L-rySIlP13Q2EiScYm_ucSk4/s2624/P1070247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5h1Cyt70Y69G4GkZ1Y0Xiunh3LRfZxpfe-tY8q4SbVTwUvqErRot_vGTz_2BAe8idm7db4ByeGYy_ojMTK799ZPrvJz1yvudZZmjy0GLt2hPDRVhIrNkJfdnVI_Pl4KCRy41B6cVML3exFQf_lDWcckfv_cP8lm3uk8sMIOO0TIt2N-SgrS3u0TEVDzo/s2624/P1070262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5h1Cyt70Y69G4GkZ1Y0Xiunh3LRfZxpfe-tY8q4SbVTwUvqErRot_vGTz_2BAe8idm7db4ByeGYy_ojMTK799ZPrvJz1yvudZZmjy0GLt2hPDRVhIrNkJfdnVI_Pl4KCRy41B6cVML3exFQf_lDWcckfv_cP8lm3uk8sMIOO0TIt2N-SgrS3u0TEVDzo/s320/P1070262.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dtesEWHnFAXe05lIcgTvi82GYpRs50CJAxU0AE_imEbzNEUuVM3deQ7_dkfEijlJDI8n3_QXIgQIfUPtfvJl4vD-Ag2qFOSdeW0QDHz_q6uLL7YdqYhGrX7TUc5CgDJD_3Yv2D7Z-d57mljLGMOh1DIAcMgwchTUjYR_4YI8621A5KB06WQo5aDgrRI/s2624/P1070264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dtesEWHnFAXe05lIcgTvi82GYpRs50CJAxU0AE_imEbzNEUuVM3deQ7_dkfEijlJDI8n3_QXIgQIfUPtfvJl4vD-Ag2qFOSdeW0QDHz_q6uLL7YdqYhGrX7TUc5CgDJD_3Yv2D7Z-d57mljLGMOh1DIAcMgwchTUjYR_4YI8621A5KB06WQo5aDgrRI/w400-h300/P1070264.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjZ_SzVk0QOCz8elv5zShisiHJhSjZcuL5Gj9IRyrXM_ASYlvRd1bz9qtqJdYFQR4tqFAQQHDCPUlwUl7aQ5o2cK38T4ORFW5mTD6MK2ybW_vXHy7_UH-K3vTpCR98IFfYEOqgBzn2KLNgK1zwH0ZCTbB_xwJ5wtuysG81Z3FxwIM_SbvRnUuD1p_ghQ/s2624/P1070266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="2624" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjZ_SzVk0QOCz8elv5zShisiHJhSjZcuL5Gj9IRyrXM_ASYlvRd1bz9qtqJdYFQR4tqFAQQHDCPUlwUl7aQ5o2cK38T4ORFW5mTD6MK2ybW_vXHy7_UH-K3vTpCR98IFfYEOqgBzn2KLNgK1zwH0ZCTbB_xwJ5wtuysG81Z3FxwIM_SbvRnUuD1p_ghQ/w400-h158/P1070266.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPgZ89okfOpy3ATZhpsd3gzqnI4eHg4aL8G9ehvvptXMQ9ipfT3Uw1qZZIBOFRgHxRy7DKPUNB_ljpHBlh3cMFaiCvVVJgNFWjX1G1U52boiR0ZDL4ve1th0CMPZEX322RXJxTmmGKSH8BxwPLl_A_akTS2kPGGiuZn7D_bhUrJjyEuMXpoTbZ5MaIbs/s2396/P1070269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1658" data-original-width="2396" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPgZ89okfOpy3ATZhpsd3gzqnI4eHg4aL8G9ehvvptXMQ9ipfT3Uw1qZZIBOFRgHxRy7DKPUNB_ljpHBlh3cMFaiCvVVJgNFWjX1G1U52boiR0ZDL4ve1th0CMPZEX322RXJxTmmGKSH8BxwPLl_A_akTS2kPGGiuZn7D_bhUrJjyEuMXpoTbZ5MaIbs/s320/P1070269.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>It was a terrific trip, if a bit cold for our tastes these days. Judging by the crowds, Christmas is definitely a second "high season" for European travel. The airfare was awesome--the hotel prices were not! And while we're glad that we did it, our curiosity has been satisfied and we've no need to repeat the experience.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's hard to believe, but we're now at nearly the halfway point in our "Florida season," which means it's about time to start the visa application process. Yikes!</div></div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-47931264305662805192023-10-09T10:50:00.000-07:002024-01-03T08:44:48.578-08:00And . . . It's a Wrap!<p>We have now closed the door on the 2023 boating season and are back in Florida. It's always "fun" the first few days, trying to remember where everything is, and of course, having to do way too much grocery shopping in order to get the cupboards replenished. Our sleep cycles are slowly adjusting to the time change, although staying up later has been easier than sleeping past 4 or 5 a.m., which means that most of our nights are a bit short on sleep at the moment. This, too, shall pass.</p><p>We collected a few more photographic memories of Auxerre on September 30 and October 1 while preparing C.A.R.I.B. III for its long winter nap, then headed to Paris on the afternoon of the 1st.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uagTco-ULzo7Vu2fvtQ9O0rRjLkNDMD2s50_WbziVL9VlmrVfEnzuqnjIW8cl-jTvFcIvkWyP8fUwZjpyixZ4IzXjfL16GfghBcYfFtMViYs5Z0v29ABcBDzagH-aASS51XqvNl8dP3DHG2tVZUobw9g9xOlXZnu2lRtBCYQrBtSYWDl8OqqXlJZK2g/s4080/AuxerrebyNight.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1993" data-original-width="4080" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uagTco-ULzo7Vu2fvtQ9O0rRjLkNDMD2s50_WbziVL9VlmrVfEnzuqnjIW8cl-jTvFcIvkWyP8fUwZjpyixZ4IzXjfL16GfghBcYfFtMViYs5Z0v29ABcBDzagH-aASS51XqvNl8dP3DHG2tVZUobw9g9xOlXZnu2lRtBCYQrBtSYWDl8OqqXlJZK2g/w640-h312/AuxerrebyNight.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Auxerre riverfront by night.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtz0Q-govrca6p6m03hvPA9JKRCcaFltNda3UA3PVNwRxxDXoDyQUi8YHdK7pLtOju-vXdin6HwejjTRN0aAbwRSNG9bozi875rNm5YQcouDUXTRYa9K06AXGSUPprPYIMgLgznQqd5YdQBQofj-b_-1IZL_51pclxbvzMQjWaEA2jc9xCMNVoG0keJK0/s1024/boatsunsetauxerre_Sept.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="1024" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtz0Q-govrca6p6m03hvPA9JKRCcaFltNda3UA3PVNwRxxDXoDyQUi8YHdK7pLtOju-vXdin6HwejjTRN0aAbwRSNG9bozi875rNm5YQcouDUXTRYa9K06AXGSUPprPYIMgLgznQqd5YdQBQofj-b_-1IZL_51pclxbvzMQjWaEA2jc9xCMNVoG0keJK0/w400-h297/boatsunsetauxerre_Sept.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Late summer "fireworks" at sunset.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbO8_f9HVZEVcAbjrXQf8I8ThIYxMgOuBcQi8KNc4pPeINSwGF-fkjrg9rGDHNZAedXTXZiavf0SZAti1sqLsZmopufohzcSsBHd5IQoY5pYMnNsQUm0h5j8cy-wHgUfgH5q94-gT2yAceEr9AX1mDzw-xcL7QyOaqsQHyAVrBkLMOi0j3cHsqk1xx08A/s4128/FarewellBoatSelfie.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2765" data-original-width="4128" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbO8_f9HVZEVcAbjrXQf8I8ThIYxMgOuBcQi8KNc4pPeINSwGF-fkjrg9rGDHNZAedXTXZiavf0SZAti1sqLsZmopufohzcSsBHd5IQoY5pYMnNsQUm0h5j8cy-wHgUfgH5q94-gT2yAceEr9AX1mDzw-xcL7QyOaqsQHyAVrBkLMOi0j3cHsqk1xx08A/w400-h268/FarewellBoatSelfie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A last selfie by the boat prior to departure.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieaSZ2oQLtaFUGp70EWmsQhzJVvr8qZeogB18jwHog_m3FhPZtOn-I0KVng4WQwiatwEBusfqr1buzCpCPhKLZTXDgRqGBW3JbzoTkX-tkdplPTr1ws_1E_7iH4rNLqyU7CCqaNwwSgA-vI02HK_CPOr8P8-VBl-qB4ylasjUwUtAfmuv0Jy-ly3tuzc/s4000/LonLeavesBoat.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1762" data-original-width="4000" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieaSZ2oQLtaFUGp70EWmsQhzJVvr8qZeogB18jwHog_m3FhPZtOn-I0KVng4WQwiatwEBusfqr1buzCpCPhKLZTXDgRqGBW3JbzoTkX-tkdplPTr1ws_1E_7iH4rNLqyU7CCqaNwwSgA-vI02HK_CPOr8P8-VBl-qB4ylasjUwUtAfmuv0Jy-ly3tuzc/w400-h176/LonLeavesBoat.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Locking up and walking away.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />When we can, we like to work in a final day or two in Paris prior to leaving France. In addition to just soaking in the atmosphere, we try to do at least one new thing during those short visits. The big draw, and our new activity, for this end-of-season time in Paris was an invitation from boating friends Jonathan and Jeannie on the barge "Aleau" for a cruise through the Saint Martin tunnel. The south entry to the tunnel is located at the basin of Port Arsenal, where we spent 3 weeks in June. From our mooring we had watched numerous tour boats enter and exit the tunnel and experienced the "bounce" of waves created by the release of water from locks at the other end of the tunnel, but hadn't purchased the permit required to cruise the Saint Martin Canal. Jonathan and Jeannie live in the Arsenal on their boat during the winter months, and as they were planning to arrive at the Port on October 1, they offered to use their pass and their boat to give us the "Saint Martin Canal Tunnel experience."<div><br /></div><div>A canal cruise requires sustenance beforehand, so we met up with them at "Breakfast in America" on October 2 in order to get our "Bottomless Cup O'Joe" and a breakfast that would do a U.S. diner proud.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXcXyvetzpCTQ-rBXgHXkLuphefBGxiIgt5CavH-fhnM4jCB7AaOvMdKNiKGoaMB87m9G-P6JJRxQUjMla38SPVLH_DyGR5dU0n9mHxESJsGFOO6OicNIR657iLvXKBfhqx0FOxxvDeH46Byu220NnD4kW8lJJoBw7ykJWSHqHGp5TbTQJXoDPCNL3KU/s1980/BIA.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1980" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXcXyvetzpCTQ-rBXgHXkLuphefBGxiIgt5CavH-fhnM4jCB7AaOvMdKNiKGoaMB87m9G-P6JJRxQUjMla38SPVLH_DyGR5dU0n9mHxESJsGFOO6OicNIR657iLvXKBfhqx0FOxxvDeH46Byu220NnD4kW8lJJoBw7ykJWSHqHGp5TbTQJXoDPCNL3KU/w400-h305/BIA.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jonathan (in the mirror at right) photographs Lon, Jeannie, and<br />me at BIA.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The Canal Saint-Martin links the Seine River to the Canal de l'Ourcq. The original canal was built in the early 1800's as a source of fresh water for Paris. 2.5 kilometers of the canal were enclosed by a tunnel at the end of the 19th century during Baron Haussmann's monumental "re-do" of Paris. It's a popular tourist day cruise, but also provides an alternative to the Seine as a way to exit central Paris.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9zvowD29kBRAvbYRRXTX0n7BoHRFUgr4EGp-3b6klHLz5982Gc7itcgK61oesRBy1QevOrXi0katMNB1yvcftdEH8wD4Jb-EIzAq8JZYMlQ24n8vaWuZkRms2LOzPCvhMxplXUwsc_b12C7wXDb0KZDlNESDXNYifH-2qicAnn2JYa_ZXEe64fTq7-M/s1280/Aleau.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="1280" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9zvowD29kBRAvbYRRXTX0n7BoHRFUgr4EGp-3b6klHLz5982Gc7itcgK61oesRBy1QevOrXi0katMNB1yvcftdEH8wD4Jb-EIzAq8JZYMlQ24n8vaWuZkRms2LOzPCvhMxplXUwsc_b12C7wXDb0KZDlNESDXNYifH-2qicAnn2JYa_ZXEe64fTq7-M/w640-h357/Aleau.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As Jonathan drives from the back, and Jeannie crews at the front, Lon and I find ourselves<br />in the unusual position of being able to enjoy a cruise without having to work at it.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEERrGserNO9Z9raBfalxBD90GxuwkFwMikGVgQpeSGzwdiMdD_wO3d5VD-EsjbH7MqJhrexnxZGJy4ck_3VoS_WLbf1QgUO2JIS8b4INJCo-Fyjtwc6z1OsG8jQgyXOMV_zGsRvn3LHb7T0xTKRgAyT7JzeX36PM3N2kkCBjvYCbbp_F9oeLIu5ceNb8/s4080/ArsenalMooring.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2910" data-original-width="4080" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEERrGserNO9Z9raBfalxBD90GxuwkFwMikGVgQpeSGzwdiMdD_wO3d5VD-EsjbH7MqJhrexnxZGJy4ck_3VoS_WLbf1QgUO2JIS8b4INJCo-Fyjtwc6z1OsG8jQgyXOMV_zGsRvn3LHb7T0xTKRgAyT7JzeX36PM3N2kkCBjvYCbbp_F9oeLIu5ceNb8/w400-h285/ArsenalMooring.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The middle boat occupies the slip that we were in during<br />our June stay in the Arsenal.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-f7l2O_60sYYSwnTRKg0-_qVh7DEjUeXnY2OYJBe0JFi18WMl1HQmabq-BJLaXdz2jjWAAM8gC9Ls3bHfjvz3ICPxqzX73s1310jEOCA8S1oWUaFGsoAF79HcebSwLRiyMf1h2ZQ58LypINg0KdaWXojb2Cu6O0YTrymTbHYIZbtvToszAr7hef4xdo/s4020/SMTunnel1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4020" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-f7l2O_60sYYSwnTRKg0-_qVh7DEjUeXnY2OYJBe0JFi18WMl1HQmabq-BJLaXdz2jjWAAM8gC9Ls3bHfjvz3ICPxqzX73s1310jEOCA8S1oWUaFGsoAF79HcebSwLRiyMf1h2ZQ58LypINg0KdaWXojb2Cu6O0YTrymTbHYIZbtvToszAr7hef4xdo/w305-h400/SMTunnel1.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just entering the south end of the tunnel.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFtHfaFQBIiKvDmyI3BEZq6cRQbRwRyvgpOdK6SIuSXmU3tS6WkgnFAyVxVSwj_gbLg5fEo1hJ4e-DSN78qwZpsbSgxPRUvQO6UcfLkY0BxxGgz0OQG6dCVUYC5ePIsnaWyXRdegEUU83k3S5tC99_EPeArbSkWha3rfPWaRagLONeuPBjuYOOBR3zXM/s1196/SMTunnel2-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1196" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFtHfaFQBIiKvDmyI3BEZq6cRQbRwRyvgpOdK6SIuSXmU3tS6WkgnFAyVxVSwj_gbLg5fEo1hJ4e-DSN78qwZpsbSgxPRUvQO6UcfLkY0BxxGgz0OQG6dCVUYC5ePIsnaWyXRdegEUU83k3S5tC99_EPeArbSkWha3rfPWaRagLONeuPBjuYOOBR3zXM/w640-h480/SMTunnel2-COLLAGE.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tunnel is lit by electric lights, but also by skylights. If you're on the street above, you can see<br />down into the tunnel. If you're in the tunnel, you can see out to the world above.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqanNeuI8ZRzFb1luBTx3h522pY3gNiOn1xiZzCfkmTOwQe_DKE-RDA8Ymrtwbdl42w23trl1WwxTR8Dwh_kqDx3ttWwICETyvDBDeGZyv8ciC7P_5pooWkGdJT29R4OnyWrQCTDRwc5EU8Z5OTsfYygSFpn3bWx5EIAXY5e-dNyopb5YVy1o-jCnNdK4/s4080/TunnelExit.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2910" data-original-width="4080" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqanNeuI8ZRzFb1luBTx3h522pY3gNiOn1xiZzCfkmTOwQe_DKE-RDA8Ymrtwbdl42w23trl1WwxTR8Dwh_kqDx3ttWwICETyvDBDeGZyv8ciC7P_5pooWkGdJT29R4OnyWrQCTDRwc5EU8Z5OTsfYygSFpn3bWx5EIAXY5e-dNyopb5YVy1o-jCnNdK4/w400-h285/TunnelExit.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upon exiting the tunnel, you're immediately greeted by<br />the first of two adjacent locks.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2sqzYAHc08oJ2Fmq3yyOUVmaNFi4ZFQuFXT9zAYtF6J2G74Bl1dA2pKHKNfxjIRIUYQ8S9-0znjchYPbzqcx-MZA5Gu6QTh45yZ-7wjcU8hfkfQuYIjsZm4Xuq872yMjg2Mpo7CnWUgwHJm6H4yKh1M2jF2BwGtt-g26fEujDzgSl6arUo_A27IA5T9s/s3630/Gongoozlers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3630" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2sqzYAHc08oJ2Fmq3yyOUVmaNFi4ZFQuFXT9zAYtF6J2G74Bl1dA2pKHKNfxjIRIUYQ8S9-0znjchYPbzqcx-MZA5Gu6QTh45yZ-7wjcU8hfkfQuYIjsZm4Xuq872yMjg2Mpo7CnWUgwHJm6H4yKh1M2jF2BwGtt-g26fEujDzgSl6arUo_A27IA5T9s/w338-h400/Gongoozlers.jpg" width="338" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boat transit through the locks of the Canal Saint-Martin<br />is a spectator sport.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GtCoyOLn8UxRPloOrkz7zqMLdwGoBnB9BdN_SaxZEYTf6dpfCBikqvoFcBe3wChJEju30bpo-AcWRno6sdRvrpD_b2FXvemcZBEYAipgpKQkMe9NVpr3dTvXId3GngAF4J92zrczueKCb5kbtlq6vnWK5_S_q6BA8tmslSQJ_Wkh92YMBTC1EQzwa6A/s4080/LockFill.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2993" data-original-width="4080" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GtCoyOLn8UxRPloOrkz7zqMLdwGoBnB9BdN_SaxZEYTf6dpfCBikqvoFcBe3wChJEju30bpo-AcWRno6sdRvrpD_b2FXvemcZBEYAipgpKQkMe9NVpr3dTvXId3GngAF4J92zrczueKCb5kbtlq6vnWK5_S_q6BA8tmslSQJ_Wkh92YMBTC1EQzwa6A/w400-h294/LockFill.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lockkeeper wasted no time in letting water into<br />the lock.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We went "up" through two locks, then turned around in the basin, went "down" through the same two locks, and re-entered the tunnel to head back to port. The timing of our return cruise was such that the position of the sun resulted in shafts of light through the skylights.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbHL0GK5XEiSAMaxbNssdpLHjr3wrCM-O1XZQk2kN5iOyb_O_SSj3rpRTpOZf1BUvA5Dcw5EqcJFMf2e9JiwxwJDGlsO8VE9L50_PGjNO4iW4tqgQB8W3qjirn1GA89ZhAAT4l0g6iUICRboGH1kZBEHfxt1QEgPF2j2jv9x2oHKRQ_B8yaboskPQCJY/s4080/SMTunnelLight1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2903" data-original-width="4080" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbHL0GK5XEiSAMaxbNssdpLHjr3wrCM-O1XZQk2kN5iOyb_O_SSj3rpRTpOZf1BUvA5Dcw5EqcJFMf2e9JiwxwJDGlsO8VE9L50_PGjNO4iW4tqgQB8W3qjirn1GA89ZhAAT4l0g6iUICRboGH1kZBEHfxt1QEgPF2j2jv9x2oHKRQ_B8yaboskPQCJY/w400-h285/SMTunnelLight1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lights created some lovely effects.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEuyfCduzpIV26YdACopvcwn_qI7H_0MSnOGuPHh_MYAEPFIlAyM1ObNXz4zH_sB6H49wswDRnA3TJBoeR0QTNB-jvV61FmgzueLGqpcrzfMMDtM94uV4sshSuCgvK01W7VlChwty3osZROG-zglfgSHoOQGB765OySuHvIgv4YkUY-ITYsQZV2Rvety4/s4000/SMTunnelLight2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEuyfCduzpIV26YdACopvcwn_qI7H_0MSnOGuPHh_MYAEPFIlAyM1ObNXz4zH_sB6H49wswDRnA3TJBoeR0QTNB-jvV61FmgzueLGqpcrzfMMDtM94uV4sshSuCgvK01W7VlChwty3osZROG-zglfgSHoOQGB765OySuHvIgv4YkUY-ITYsQZV2Rvety4/w640-h360/SMTunnelLight2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeannie and I at the front of Aleau had an unobstructed view.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>After saying our farewells to Jonathan and Jeannie, we stopped for visits at a couple of additional boats in the marina. One boat was that of an Australian couple we met at the DBA barge rally in Auxerre who were planning to spend this winter in Paris aboard their boat. Our other stop was at the boat of one of our French boat neighbors in June, a musician who we hope to see in Sarasota in November as he makes a musical "farewell tour" in the U.S. </div><div><br /></div><div>October 3 was our day to travel to Charles de Gaulle airport for a night at an airport hotel prior to our departure to the U.S. on October 4, but we were in no particular hurry to get to the airport. Instead, we kept our luggage stored at our Paris hotel, and used the available time for two more new (to us) Paris experiences.</div><div><br /></div><div>The first item of the day for us was another subterranean activity, this one following in the footsteps of "Les Misérables" hero Jean Valjean to the sewers of Paris, via the Paris Sewers Museum. We'd been aware for years that such an "attraction" existed and had often thought about visiting, but it had never exactly been a "bucket list" item for us. From 2018 to 2021 the museum was closed for renovation, but with the renovations complete, we decided that this year was as good as any to satisfy our curiosity. It was--OK. The museum shows just a very tiny portion of this "city beneath the city," and the purpose of the museum is to educate, not to shock or titillate, but it nevertheless felt a bit "flat" as an experience. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtII-_FuUvikPU43EwPDu227BwWT3rGFuU5EtW7vDYb_9_db2ynHBfLN4L0lvm-pP4kBqKKN5oecst0cOSjV5qS-zD-q4BMWQl8SLGzykTUzWWg0x3DftfrCw3B2Nh4DGB85_-Hlv5iBiReb8_nxuPQVw46KS9e1gc_L-0O99kFdrcaobV0gbQ6g-TD68/s2602/Rat.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2602" data-original-width="2433" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtII-_FuUvikPU43EwPDu227BwWT3rGFuU5EtW7vDYb_9_db2ynHBfLN4L0lvm-pP4kBqKKN5oecst0cOSjV5qS-zD-q4BMWQl8SLGzykTUzWWg0x3DftfrCw3B2Nh4DGB85_-Hlv5iBiReb8_nxuPQVw46KS9e1gc_L-0O99kFdrcaobV0gbQ6g-TD68/w374-h400/Rat.jpg" width="374" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only rat to be seen was in artwork on a wall.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9Ye2-nn9Sn7QywUan4AsrX2hTY-onnTbUaBsrTsn4X27nlqq2AB2UiW2eUpNcjURVm682DCqmPl87cAIMHRJTCmIbMboaePcxiZDKcdk4GgKnrlEFKjSvGyVQXP0nHbazy88dV5lJ3iwdNMlx3-url-p6JZTsZiX9MVseUUxIpd4tpnJ4tYTogwHAfs/s3980/SewerMachinery.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3980" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9Ye2-nn9Sn7QywUan4AsrX2hTY-onnTbUaBsrTsn4X27nlqq2AB2UiW2eUpNcjURVm682DCqmPl87cAIMHRJTCmIbMboaePcxiZDKcdk4GgKnrlEFKjSvGyVQXP0nHbazy88dV5lJ3iwdNMlx3-url-p6JZTsZiX9MVseUUxIpd4tpnJ4tYTogwHAfs/w308-h400/SewerMachinery.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the smelliest part of the museum, a demonstration<br />of the equipment used for straining trash out of the <br />wastewater, which is a combination of water from<br />sanitary sewers and storm sewers.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRMp8XEwnZWCodcNfYw0WK6TSH3G5OakwJ-6HjtJSyd4a9VXGtTo1545LGneuhrkeTCzHi3bQmdYwsW0D1S7Dw5lWoM7dvkAXS72OUyX9X_mTAttHYtrUpAAg50LMu7aQx93wWQI2wOGuQkgIA_X_Sc4C6gGdxlkOqXkOWsi2aFxzu83OhqglgBXhifY/s4080/SewerSideTunnel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3010" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRMp8XEwnZWCodcNfYw0WK6TSH3G5OakwJ-6HjtJSyd4a9VXGtTo1545LGneuhrkeTCzHi3bQmdYwsW0D1S7Dw5lWoM7dvkAXS72OUyX9X_mTAttHYtrUpAAg50LMu7aQx93wWQI2wOGuQkgIA_X_Sc4C6gGdxlkOqXkOWsi2aFxzu83OhqglgBXhifY/w295-h400/SewerSideTunnel.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A replica of a side tunnel. The sewers do have street signs<br /> posted reflective of the location in the city above.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknvM1FwBCq7yv7znwZd0CUM6CsE1fQd5A-u_SjjuSsUFZK1iql596iWgNzKZt6lM7KX42LyGdSfoR6xlOiyOdDoBV41f-y7JL7AyvLOSqewW2zAsMsewmieCsuHfEVAJbnNPk1NHGX8HhX5ZeIl8yagbTSFv2a2jcQdeYXIPMe0oWH-HooXjYy7GCsc4/s4080/DianaMemorial.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3030" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknvM1FwBCq7yv7znwZd0CUM6CsE1fQd5A-u_SjjuSsUFZK1iql596iWgNzKZt6lM7KX42LyGdSfoR6xlOiyOdDoBV41f-y7JL7AyvLOSqewW2zAsMsewmieCsuHfEVAJbnNPk1NHGX8HhX5ZeIl8yagbTSFv2a2jcQdeYXIPMe0oWH-HooXjYy7GCsc4/w298-h400/DianaMemorial.jpg" width="298" /></a><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just across the river from the Sewer Museum is the "Flame of Liberty", an exact<br /> replica of the flame on the torch of the Statue of Liberty. It was a gift to the city of<br /> Paris in 1989 by the International Herald Tribune. It is now a de facto shrine to<br />Princess Diana, since it stands above the underpass that was the location of the car<br /> crash that took her life in 1997.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>After lunch we took a meandering route towards the Louvre Museum area to catch the Metro back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and then head to the airport. In doing so, we walked by the Petit Palais, a building constructed for the 1900 Exposition Universelle, which now houses the City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts. We'd never visited it, and after seeing that admission was free to the permanent exhibitions, we made a spur of the moment decision to stop inside.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQP0DfqVZFlDnTD9PUliAunCvRYrhMkQIRdOD5Ep_yB22Ei_kdNFIxwR3pO5Zl_SBHbGd3KwN28KwAyK1n7XwJPGj_UwkkdIqrViU9E7rg4s7VFISsY1fI17UhxijBWwk2aj9lCVyWzqUxXW97woRgJB5M_IswXKNtgelyjFR-8kswk-PJIxBUVndzq4/s3611/PetitPalais.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3611" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQP0DfqVZFlDnTD9PUliAunCvRYrhMkQIRdOD5Ep_yB22Ei_kdNFIxwR3pO5Zl_SBHbGd3KwN28KwAyK1n7XwJPGj_UwkkdIqrViU9E7rg4s7VFISsY1fI17UhxijBWwk2aj9lCVyWzqUxXW97woRgJB5M_IswXKNtgelyjFR-8kswk-PJIxBUVndzq4/w339-h400/PetitPalais.jpg" width="339" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior was gorgeous. When we have more time it<br />is probably worth revisiting so that we can see more of<br />the artwork.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJyslkGtdCyPCml7gMBF7QMYwXATEAP_YTSJkKWJRW6CYvISyBP6qjd5wOhv4OmcHIlzi_Y5LxIsJiXIKZqHx_wlewGarC_wqiWGq1DrNxwFmiyBUp64SgB655_BlGcdQE9tVEH4rwBqiuy_Tup_ckZRmRC3YM9P9eKmfEvkZV48TnSGl_xdw5T2dRn8/s4080/PetitPalaisGarden.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="4080" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJyslkGtdCyPCml7gMBF7QMYwXATEAP_YTSJkKWJRW6CYvISyBP6qjd5wOhv4OmcHIlzi_Y5LxIsJiXIKZqHx_wlewGarC_wqiWGq1DrNxwFmiyBUp64SgB655_BlGcdQE9tVEH4rwBqiuy_Tup_ckZRmRC3YM9P9eKmfEvkZV48TnSGl_xdw5T2dRn8/w400-h295/PetitPalaisGarden.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> The gardens in the interior courtyard of the Petit Palais.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5kJacurSgxPzZzlT1OJSepdUIiZpg4KDNADFA_4R5CfReS3YRCdaZSotnTZO2hvBg62kXj4bgsMSAve_yEpbQhajldRtuPgLpHpIMKpN7a7SLKbdDGY7L4m_EXGlRFET8tt06lRN0_hFzqtzJ7CsCOo3Idry7Jg_z31rlMocySQO33S9GxZWqnSsXUs/s3789/BannedPublicArt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3789" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5kJacurSgxPzZzlT1OJSepdUIiZpg4KDNADFA_4R5CfReS3YRCdaZSotnTZO2hvBg62kXj4bgsMSAve_yEpbQhajldRtuPgLpHpIMKpN7a7SLKbdDGY7L4m_EXGlRFET8tt06lRN0_hFzqtzJ7CsCOo3Idry7Jg_z31rlMocySQO33S9GxZWqnSsXUs/w323-h400/BannedPublicArt.jpg" width="323" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Public art in the Tuileries Garden. The statuary would <br />probably be banned in Florida these days.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiqQqvbSMzw2VdE1-CS9CKWtDH20qT5Z0mZouYz6YP_hCLvizW0obPQZIc5Gu9yRatoSNr3y8urVnNveM15_PWDrBnwrO9eUMTn5xDhCuxyUVQlQbn7PTWmp0XWA09Agh-369thFaHqOOKpRAeLnU3odTWcl9LLl1e-I-lWDTypXal9ivJdBXxdyhnB0/s3770/Tuilleries.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3770" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiqQqvbSMzw2VdE1-CS9CKWtDH20qT5Z0mZouYz6YP_hCLvizW0obPQZIc5Gu9yRatoSNr3y8urVnNveM15_PWDrBnwrO9eUMTn5xDhCuxyUVQlQbn7PTWmp0XWA09Agh-369thFaHqOOKpRAeLnU3odTWcl9LLl1e-I-lWDTypXal9ivJdBXxdyhnB0/w325-h400/Tuilleries.jpg" width="325" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Although it was October 3 it still felt like summer,<br />and the Tuileries Garden's vegetation looked like summer.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />After non-eventful flights--the best kind--to Tampa-St. Pete, we immediately started our fall/winter activities. It feels like we were never gone. We already have an idea of where we would like to cruise during the 2024 season, but as "aspirations" (rather than "plans") worked so well for us this year, we think we'll stick with hopes and aspirations in 2024 as well. The blog is now on hiatus for a few months.<br /><div><br /></div>Lon or Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14924791374179642070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-45742899763882251202023-09-28T11:37:00.001-07:002023-12-23T08:59:05.616-08:00Cruising Stats 2023<p>It probably shouldn't have surprised us that the end-of-season nerves associated with making sure that everything that needs to be done <i>does</i> get done has removed our urge for last-minute "field trips" this week. So, we're using the available time to get things done in a leisurely and relaxed manner. Using up our remaining groceries with little waste always makes me feel a sense of accomplishment, and we're enjoying dinners at local restaurants to fill in the culinary gaps.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJC9xNuTe11yo96b-ipLvv7kizFFOiB8tNxG5sTph6DmfRmGf8P9Gg9xKXMTl2iRtPo1p_tV61XQfl-djPIjsFAJTQXh1BEPl_9IOcBVUmMhz9lA0fPDnLajDSIU1tH3QVB0gmdH3Ff-vgJ8ROj6xy7UQvkHdCMcnSPpENiFr-vno0XfbDhPgcljDKLs/s3169/Kitty.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3169" data-original-width="2105" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJC9xNuTe11yo96b-ipLvv7kizFFOiB8tNxG5sTph6DmfRmGf8P9Gg9xKXMTl2iRtPo1p_tV61XQfl-djPIjsFAJTQXh1BEPl_9IOcBVUmMhz9lA0fPDnLajDSIU1tH3QVB0gmdH3Ff-vgJ8ROj6xy7UQvkHdCMcnSPpENiFr-vno0XfbDhPgcljDKLs/w426-h640/Kitty.jpg" width="426" /></a><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last night's dinner was crepes on the terrace of Creperie du Pont. We could see<br /> this intrepid cat using the open window for a bird's eye view of its surroundings.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTdPQ2ccrWmxxxzrXfbSzREfs4X9dNPRdhny3OqemKSMmcKuwhHT2Uy6qnwsjjbHJDSI0tn_c9a7dgNS0DQqBymo2nd4hwimR_LSu2_saMEgOtE5tY4Uc_lUMsHIMqP8fvbPeP2U-7k9Ccyhfi15rM9d2e0i_UjMi-Y1P1gAehRlOcRYv8jHGBmJkwrA/s4000/AuxerreSunset.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="4000" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTdPQ2ccrWmxxxzrXfbSzREfs4X9dNPRdhny3OqemKSMmcKuwhHT2Uy6qnwsjjbHJDSI0tn_c9a7dgNS0DQqBymo2nd4hwimR_LSu2_saMEgOtE5tY4Uc_lUMsHIMqP8fvbPeP2U-7k9Ccyhfi15rM9d2e0i_UjMi-Y1P1gAehRlOcRYv8jHGBmJkwrA/w640-h288/AuxerreSunset.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're not unhappy about getting back to Florida, but we <i>will</i> miss the view from the boat.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Herewith, some statistics from our 2023 cruising season:<div><br /></div><div>We started cruising on May 3, 2023, from Port Cergy, west of Paris. After completing nearly a full circle to the north and east of Paris, we arrived in Paris the first week of June and spent 3 weeks there. Time in Paris included a Seine River cruise. We left Paris on June 27 and arrived in the city of Auxerre (a little over 100 miles to the SE of Paris as the bird flies, 126 miles by boat) on July 10. A short, maintenance-aborted cruise on the Nivernais Canal and an afternoon cruise out of Auxerre with family were the only cruising we did from mid-July until now. In hindsight, it would have been nice to have cruised a bit more during the latter part of the summer, but a number of factors--such as intense heat waves intermixed with periods of rain--worked against that. All in all, however, it was a great summer and we met the major milestones we'd hoped for prior to the start of the season--with nary a "Plan B" in sight.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYwGJWEyq296gCH9Icw_kaqnoOUtCHDtH2IKIdwZqbkmZ8_VYn10gDnHCCTLH1RZ6-fismhGCmuFOMkWCJxePd5g5hWraFrmN9630Inse4i-evE0TK6gG5fQRuIUn1wGhItpZTtXRj4feD4xyupAgUrATIMmOoYSuXtltDqtDnS612nC531CoGRmHS7g/s1707/2023%20Cruise.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1707" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYwGJWEyq296gCH9Icw_kaqnoOUtCHDtH2IKIdwZqbkmZ8_VYn10gDnHCCTLH1RZ6-fismhGCmuFOMkWCJxePd5g5hWraFrmN9630Inse4i-evE0TK6gG5fQRuIUn1wGhItpZTtXRj4feD4xyupAgUrATIMmOoYSuXtltDqtDnS612nC531CoGRmHS7g/w640-h370/2023%20Cruise.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Number of cruising days: 38</div><div><div>Total engine hours: 144.1</div><div>Distance cruised: 735 km (441 miles)</div><div>132 locks</div><div>1 swing bridge</div><div>3 tunnels</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Saturday will be a busy day, with loads of laundry to wash and a final cleaning of the boat. We're spending Saturday night in a local hotel so that we don't leave the boat with "slept-in" sheets for 6 months. After the final tasks of Sunday morning we'll be on a train to Paris Sunday afternoon, and will spend a couple of days in central Paris before heading to an airport hotel on October 3 in preparation for departure back to the U.S. the next day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-15579092900041242592023-09-23T02:57:00.000-07:002024-01-03T08:37:00.242-08:00Field Trip Time<p>One of the effects of having had the boat painted last year has been the substantial diminishment of time needed for end-of-season work projects. In 2019 we spent days and days repairing and prepping and repainting the roof of the salon. Last year--and this year--paint touch-ups have needed to be done to cover up small scrapes that are a natural result of cruising, but the effort required is <i>nothing </i>compared to what would be required had we still needed to repaint the entire exterior of C.A.R.I.B. III. We've been happy to turn the available time into a few "field trips".</p><p>On Thursday, September 14, an hour on the bicycles got us to the village of Pontigny, about 20 km to the northeast of Auxerre. Pontigny is the site of the largest intact church of the Cistercian monastic order in France. It is a remnant of the abbey that used to exist there, but which was mostly destroyed during the French Revolution. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbfehJCA93mh07vgOsFseRxRuWl9TN81nZWuScjlDlJjXEvqWfnUIJ9ZOovQ65wyzTsZwT9fBYI98tTPOwXZvER35QkOzbxQ5iMvZo2oLXGLrqfJ5qYP6ShaNV9pyryUB5IAcvt1A5SYqpqH07DBsBPXpt8AaKARR7yzwbFqHt-y2ssn5K__lWsw3NPU/s2973/potignyfromdistance.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="2973" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbfehJCA93mh07vgOsFseRxRuWl9TN81nZWuScjlDlJjXEvqWfnUIJ9ZOovQ65wyzTsZwT9fBYI98tTPOwXZvER35QkOzbxQ5iMvZo2oLXGLrqfJ5qYP6ShaNV9pyryUB5IAcvt1A5SYqpqH07DBsBPXpt8AaKARR7yzwbFqHt-y2ssn5K__lWsw3NPU/w640-h118/potignyfromdistance.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At 108 meters long, the 12th century Romanesque-Gothic church dominates the skyline of<br />the village of Pontigny. It is a stop along one of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela,<br />and was a place of sanctuary from 1165-1166 for the exiled Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiml5pfyGJbXl12p91k34CtMLo29ltEUs4TxcGP-T4fj1IrXfeJipG4U7Eh9qfS6_CS4i_XQzL26h_1MjSg_CuKIedb_GM7XZ4YaJez58nb9Hner6Srq63KTw99d6JTFJtmz9hMVZCQXk7PsOqqs66FjgRlMhcEhG27TbYLlrICrF4CYBrQJeI8jaWLGnw/s897/PExt1-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="897" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiml5pfyGJbXl12p91k34CtMLo29ltEUs4TxcGP-T4fj1IrXfeJipG4U7Eh9qfS6_CS4i_XQzL26h_1MjSg_CuKIedb_GM7XZ4YaJez58nb9Hner6Srq63KTw99d6JTFJtmz9hMVZCQXk7PsOqqs66FjgRlMhcEhG27TbYLlrICrF4CYBrQJeI8jaWLGnw/w400-h400/PExt1-COLLAGE.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The abbey church. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHvJK_gQELesZXywEMPfZuSIc4pAGwdxmCXoWukkrBV9WAkIYPwmbd8_d5JuAqlf00QQFZJ1Roi7fcRJdbCQ4__lrNt6SpQcPS6anp8kUgFAA0PS-gwhhSDTbeYH8YilRM2GzmglkPb4ueczzrT8k2Wepl3gow76mUTXA7LTQIxPi_-SG8t2FV_MORaA/s1196/LonPontigny-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1196" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHvJK_gQELesZXywEMPfZuSIc4pAGwdxmCXoWukkrBV9WAkIYPwmbd8_d5JuAqlf00QQFZJ1Roi7fcRJdbCQ4__lrNt6SpQcPS6anp8kUgFAA0PS-gwhhSDTbeYH8YilRM2GzmglkPb4ueczzrT8k2Wepl3gow76mUTXA7LTQIxPi_-SG8t2FV_MORaA/w640-h480/LonPontigny-COLLAGE.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: the 17th century organ is undergoing repair.<br />Right: Lon in a side aisle of the interior. The white stone interior is mostly unadorned, and the<br />light this provides enhances the sense of the immensity of the church. Austere, but lovely.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRNHwoGBmx08weFy_5Vh6ul23S0d9FDXUmJosq2g1UY3hqLs_2Ir_Nh2P5DtmIg8xOdUXrJ0mnnEXI3KRGzOG59MK9_le-2krrez25oPYnnd9PDVCYi04_-c1xYAHFtvm0vLeSuykj-QXEw6gqz2X7p4YDg0x5iTenGgH1sSFZeaL7OROLnneGJHsQFU/s1196/Pontignydivider-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1196" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRNHwoGBmx08weFy_5Vh6ul23S0d9FDXUmJosq2g1UY3hqLs_2Ir_Nh2P5DtmIg8xOdUXrJ0mnnEXI3KRGzOG59MK9_le-2krrez25oPYnnd9PDVCYi04_-c1xYAHFtvm0vLeSuykj-QXEw6gqz2X7p4YDg0x5iTenGgH1sSFZeaL7OROLnneGJHsQFU/w640-h480/Pontignydivider-COLLAGE.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: Dividing the front part of the nave from the rear of the church.<br />Right: The worship area in the front of the church.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>On our way to Pontigny we had a brief, but amusing, encounter.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirU2_EV184KmUQPWPxn2q_SAOypZii38Jp3RNSsGcx-dhuOFj70zi4xC-dpQKT2MSjHD8F_cJG5jNh27E0AxSrmjzFpbSzDVTtoL-W75E80rTsdMjigFrHULuaVJf7k1ME3jEh5ywku3BKHkbcQ9VBuV6OzfXhlWi-yOVcMgV0HOsxAO6lZy6i8Q5dwlQ/s4080/chix.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="4080" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirU2_EV184KmUQPWPxn2q_SAOypZii38Jp3RNSsGcx-dhuOFj70zi4xC-dpQKT2MSjHD8F_cJG5jNh27E0AxSrmjzFpbSzDVTtoL-W75E80rTsdMjigFrHULuaVJf7k1ME3jEh5ywku3BKHkbcQ9VBuV6OzfXhlWi-yOVcMgV0HOsxAO6lZy6i8Q5dwlQ/w640-h158/chix.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the middle of a field was this fenced-off area for free-range chickens. When I approached<br />to take a photo, the chickens must have thought I was coming to feed them, because they starting<br />running toward the fence--all the while clucking softly. They were adorable.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We had one other slight detour on this day. On the way to Pontigny we saw a sign for "Pont Romain" (Roman Bridge) posted by the church in the village of Rouvray. It sounded intriguing, but with no distance given, we didn't want to risk ending up 30 kilometers out of our way, so we continued on to Pontigny. On the way back to Auxerre we took a slightly different route, and encountered another "Pont Romain" sign, this time by the former train station of Rouvray-Venouse.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPCqnZOirAwO1ykYTBpGcus1LXS3DEIln44gVR7N6Y9uXX1UJQgbkmBNX4An4f9y-tK2KYYNFa-wQLdc7kEHuRM9JjnqjWSBxK6jeRHflAbQA9cgUbxS1oNn7RZMU_u72OV6Sa_1T9DYKWISiI5kFZc_PBMVxYPNQHFhpHs3X0o5kZxKPl7bV0QspI88/s897/PontRomain-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="674" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPCqnZOirAwO1ykYTBpGcus1LXS3DEIln44gVR7N6Y9uXX1UJQgbkmBNX4An4f9y-tK2KYYNFa-wQLdc7kEHuRM9JjnqjWSBxK6jeRHflAbQA9cgUbxS1oNn7RZMU_u72OV6Sa_1T9DYKWISiI5kFZc_PBMVxYPNQHFhpHs3X0o5kZxKPl7bV0QspI88/w480-h640/PontRomain-COLLAGE.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Signs that tantalized us with possibilities.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />This time we took the bait, and headed off down a road bisecting a farmer's field. Our "bravery" was rewarded about a kilometer or so later.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0a-HY_qNCnBGAae4F56iAAdjsHN1nL8vA4z9hVs1WJ7kB6xGvjsJMWeA_bXKDNwsqckSNTkLn0XHevN50kgnUQlsFj997wUqtqc_-9TW0PEVm1mQeNcl_AnDxvrxeWdWuXZwspnzbqOegu_7SLpFK9TdSLWdt9XLLvAd_TSn6wghlJCIAcM4_zzrHoU/s4080/LonPontRomain.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2937" data-original-width="4080" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0a-HY_qNCnBGAae4F56iAAdjsHN1nL8vA4z9hVs1WJ7kB6xGvjsJMWeA_bXKDNwsqckSNTkLn0XHevN50kgnUQlsFj997wUqtqc_-9TW0PEVm1mQeNcl_AnDxvrxeWdWuXZwspnzbqOegu_7SLpFK9TdSLWdt9XLLvAd_TSn6wghlJCIAcM4_zzrHoU/w400-h288/LonPontRomain.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We think this was the object of our search, but darned if<br />I can locate any info about it. It is probably too small to have<br />excited the kind of interest that would lead to published articles.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The next day, September 15, we stayed closer to Auxerre. Although our destination was only a 4-kilometer bike ride away, the hills along the route made it a more challenging ride. The "Monument to the Shot of Egriselles-Venoy" is located in a former French firing range that was used in WWII by the occupying Germans to shoot resistance fighters that they had arrested and sentenced to death. In total there were 43 victims over the years of 1942 to 1944. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpqpD1gwfUthkKylYdmH4NHPp3PsWnW5RUV39XzxvsO4fIdWjAA6ZMc3_G-C9rPYvVLrGw_6A4nGrmtAERHZ1I86Hk3Iz6GDQGtrAIdtFdP2GK-YINWjzEUkW_0hLkvG6DQ2BwEy1ZIlMeiG8psrX4ipGbjgYbILa27MnBJnaPwyALyKuNF3ywYUHrR0/s3644/monumentsign.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3644" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpqpD1gwfUthkKylYdmH4NHPp3PsWnW5RUV39XzxvsO4fIdWjAA6ZMc3_G-C9rPYvVLrGw_6A4nGrmtAERHZ1I86Hk3Iz6GDQGtrAIdtFdP2GK-YINWjzEUkW_0hLkvG6DQ2BwEy1ZIlMeiG8psrX4ipGbjgYbILa27MnBJnaPwyALyKuNF3ywYUHrR0/w336-h400/monumentsign.jpg" width="336" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkoCtC-si49Oqr236HKGGpsoZ8HKEOO-hUOtX9vBLxxw-AIJmilDWavwb9DlAMSPKe-o2ZTRDUR6jFW4XHF4JdtaZILSvvjGChwCzJ4kXIa9ZCMOOTZMF4inUCG30FNsWEx1uImhVHrx7xnVvr4sK5alR5MqxDsGXxAj_XqlEsOhWlxLXbXF7oJaUCcdQ/s3976/WWIIMonument.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2915" data-original-width="3976" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkoCtC-si49Oqr236HKGGpsoZ8HKEOO-hUOtX9vBLxxw-AIJmilDWavwb9DlAMSPKe-o2ZTRDUR6jFW4XHF4JdtaZILSvvjGChwCzJ4kXIa9ZCMOOTZMF4inUCG30FNsWEx1uImhVHrx7xnVvr4sK5alR5MqxDsGXxAj_XqlEsOhWlxLXbXF7oJaUCcdQ/w400-h294/WWIIMonument.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tree trunk to the right is a concrete replacement for <br />the vestiges of one of the original three trees on the site to which<br />the condemned were tied before being shot. The real tree<br />used to stand there, but was vandalized and burned in 2018.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HneB2CM3fLNWJDMWGpS8vQgypUjeKz1T2Ebo4LFXgAGCaGb7ukvEkOaf3erIYaMZREeJZnf8WTKvStpXF8a5Kh-p1DmRVbC_etICqL9W1iuyHktP5p0JqDKQE0Zd5KzZ6vXUdkH5jHLDsxNx7f-35iv_2tXjljnMu5eESvQ2-om6rNEewHyxfz62wF0/s3000/PatBiking.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2437" data-original-width="3000" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HneB2CM3fLNWJDMWGpS8vQgypUjeKz1T2Ebo4LFXgAGCaGb7ukvEkOaf3erIYaMZREeJZnf8WTKvStpXF8a5Kh-p1DmRVbC_etICqL9W1iuyHktP5p0JqDKQE0Zd5KzZ6vXUdkH5jHLDsxNx7f-35iv_2tXjljnMu5eESvQ2-om6rNEewHyxfz62wF0/w400-h325/PatBiking.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had a good view of Auxerre from the hilltop as we<br />made our way back to port.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HneB2CM3fLNWJDMWGpS8vQgypUjeKz1T2Ebo4LFXgAGCaGb7ukvEkOaf3erIYaMZREeJZnf8WTKvStpXF8a5Kh-p1DmRVbC_etICqL9W1iuyHktP5p0JqDKQE0Zd5KzZ6vXUdkH5jHLDsxNx7f-35iv_2tXjljnMu5eESvQ2-om6rNEewHyxfz62wF0/s3000/PatBiking.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>The weekend of September 16-17 was a busy one in Auxerre. It was "European Heritage Days" in Europe (and, therefore, throughout France), with its attendant program of free admissions to many museums and historic sites. Saturday was also the celebration in Auxerre of the 800th anniversary of the granting of a charter of emancipation to the citizens of the city. With the charter of 1223, inheritances would no longer be taxed and seized, serfdom was abolished, and residents could come and go freely out of the city. <div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AUYauVD3nLhgfYUTdFzlWLioKnVwF4LyMVDlZnTEsI0CJ3e3iv-6p-22lnvEui686-593WP8l9GQHorvF2vCGTpNjrg6i7fhOOEHWviiLyn0eTpbzyVRXjmGjjehSEWnOASwCaC9im35jIERzLtseaQ8g1GNSbvLTM72qatQxLDVX6jZ1e5qyiKnWA8/s897/MedievalCollage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="897" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AUYauVD3nLhgfYUTdFzlWLioKnVwF4LyMVDlZnTEsI0CJ3e3iv-6p-22lnvEui686-593WP8l9GQHorvF2vCGTpNjrg6i7fhOOEHWviiLyn0eTpbzyVRXjmGjjehSEWnOASwCaC9im35jIERzLtseaQ8g1GNSbvLTM72qatQxLDVX6jZ1e5qyiKnWA8/w640-h640/MedievalCollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medieval city for a day: A lady on horseback and her knight escorts, musicians roamed the <br />streets, sword fights, playing with fire.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />There were a few places we'd wanted to visit as part of the Heritage Days, but most required advance reservations, and as we were in Norway when the program was announced, we weren't able to contact the tourist office early enough to reserve spaces. Nevertheless, there were a few interesting things we <i>were</i> able to see: the Romanesque crypt of Auxerre's cathedral; the house of poetess Marie Noel, and the former medieval prison tower by the abbey. </div><div><br /></div><div>The crypt in the Cathedral of Saint Stephen is not a burial vault, but a small church under the choir of the cathedral. It was built from 1023 to 1030 and served as a base for the original Romanesque cathedral. The crypt was retained when that first cathedral was razed to make way for the current Gothic cathedral.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4bcDM1lJyxYpFLTqu-kbpmrN5rZq5TKGJtf5MXont6ikoCnIKKPdxew5xrGog1I3Akgihe7bRL12LgBBN4Pg3cilUpwrCDCBpK0agLEepDPRG7qTt36NEvbKbMB5PSlt3c2NqqdRerN0Y-g533JrkcixpM815Fn7vaSSxevkdwGgpVjjZu_J1QkB0fA/s3586/CryptNave.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3586" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4bcDM1lJyxYpFLTqu-kbpmrN5rZq5TKGJtf5MXont6ikoCnIKKPdxew5xrGog1I3Akgihe7bRL12LgBBN4Pg3cilUpwrCDCBpK0agLEepDPRG7qTt36NEvbKbMB5PSlt3c2NqqdRerN0Y-g533JrkcixpM815Fn7vaSSxevkdwGgpVjjZu_J1QkB0fA/w341-h400/CryptNave.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The central nave.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8-hRyoHloMZcrYivJPm1tORsZZ60cna5QjXniiV7XIZueRvIdLT8weqxUrZiQn8nS2UOGubggcobOEk4yHWACel7KNV_74ZLpVMZ1NFBV76ayv7NiMvbXV3wsGp5dEVbsLstS53yaZ51jiE6_bqL5rebRb_2f8akE9ArJx8zx90ToRndyGwijjZfxZM/s3828/LonCrypt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3828" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8-hRyoHloMZcrYivJPm1tORsZZ60cna5QjXniiV7XIZueRvIdLT8weqxUrZiQn8nS2UOGubggcobOEk4yHWACel7KNV_74ZLpVMZ1NFBV76ayv7NiMvbXV3wsGp5dEVbsLstS53yaZ51jiE6_bqL5rebRb_2f8akE9ArJx8zx90ToRndyGwijjZfxZM/w320-h400/LonCrypt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon stands in one of the side passages, waiting<br />to serve as our tour guide.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKc--dVDECYzpjysjIrvDo-1aC7LoO1OB_pCUq-Jtb_N1N0uznqE5Ok6Cym9p3ZApewprOBNVnyCv8aKG7YWzqC_8XMmat_NN_Xrt6KdZUflWKHb-S_pg5VzjX0uOVU2pkM_Cm17H2df4LguPYIavYqi8f-OswlEtxeHacnK6tMDaIfLaw0oUBvSbL_yU/s897/20230916_104305-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="897" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKc--dVDECYzpjysjIrvDo-1aC7LoO1OB_pCUq-Jtb_N1N0uznqE5Ok6Cym9p3ZApewprOBNVnyCv8aKG7YWzqC_8XMmat_NN_Xrt6KdZUflWKHb-S_pg5VzjX0uOVU2pkM_Cm17H2df4LguPYIavYqi8f-OswlEtxeHacnK6tMDaIfLaw0oUBvSbL_yU/w640-h640/20230916_104305-COLLAGE.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Trinity" chapel at the east end of the crypt retains some amazing frescos.<br /> Left: the chapel and the frescos adorning it.<br />Upper Right: A fresco of Christ in Majesty (13th C.) Lower Right: The triumphal coming<br />of Christ (11th C.)</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We also visited the home of the poet Marie Noel. It is currently administered by a group that also has interests in the natural sciences--which maybe explains why they have the item below displayed in the entryway. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi671urJ65QJsaGKnqaNUCbcFVKV46Zbkaj8TsGL6H7g1ZlyakBeDnya9gzkaQl2bJ5ZwOrnmoLDHgxoWa7lD_XEbYGQL59jX2sxW6PArk8Tur1MKWuHx80chwY9Btd9DBWdQqbadf7cF487pldhK3lvQzwqbnuzkDUbaGgtCI-c84phUXdOFPlT1Sxnck/s4011/Fox.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2643" data-original-width="4011" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi671urJ65QJsaGKnqaNUCbcFVKV46Zbkaj8TsGL6H7g1ZlyakBeDnya9gzkaQl2bJ5ZwOrnmoLDHgxoWa7lD_XEbYGQL59jX2sxW6PArk8Tur1MKWuHx80chwY9Btd9DBWdQqbadf7cF487pldhK3lvQzwqbnuzkDUbaGgtCI-c84phUXdOFPlT1Sxnck/w640-h422/Fox.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ewwww! Poor foxes--I remember that one of my grandmothers<br />had a fox stole. This is worse.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Sunday was more of the same, but in the morning, a party came to the port.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPXjK2-snK6eomHni6cgXe3DQxj11tFBNJ1TzfxnueARPgCg6ZlbhB46IB0Hi9ccoMAzb9JwlinzdqQ71fxIVppjGBqkHeKGImkuINkuFeMfR6nlWIMUPLhpjvRP-t9RfIgLBTd24yRhXraLSOsbClOAR2ZkAbn1xbVv1r6_SphJ6Oj8R0raUYvxbPp4/s2624/Volkswagens.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="2624" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPXjK2-snK6eomHni6cgXe3DQxj11tFBNJ1TzfxnueARPgCg6ZlbhB46IB0Hi9ccoMAzb9JwlinzdqQ71fxIVppjGBqkHeKGImkuINkuFeMfR6nlWIMUPLhpjvRP-t9RfIgLBTd24yRhXraLSOsbClOAR2ZkAbn1xbVv1r6_SphJ6Oj8R0raUYvxbPp4/w640-h230/Volkswagens.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A group of owners of classic Volkswagens was in town and made a brief stop at the port. We <br />(CARIB in lower right of photo) had a front row seat to this collection of vans, "Beetles", and<br /> dune buggies. To avoid bruising, the game of "slug bug" was suspended for the duration of the visit.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>In the afternoon, we had a quick peek inside the last remaining medieval tower of the fortifications that had surrounded the Abbey Saint Germain. It was used as a prison up to the revolutionary period. An adjacent building hosted an exhibition regarding the visit to Auxerre by Buffalo Bill in 1905.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rInjTfuQzOHA7aARPSatmLkN6vtoYuU41RUK6bf9SAE_oZDq7JnZottrueydGfe0dOpAdKL3uifbhMRD8hKvGPfuuf8_a_qUJ9UNPt1iHe2yb55RXdQw6qlFDOJn2osDPquKtadUog-yX6e37r2SudyCodvRmYRN3nCrcen5uDrAmyaKh6TzjFkRuUw/s1196/PrisonInterior-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1196" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rInjTfuQzOHA7aARPSatmLkN6vtoYuU41RUK6bf9SAE_oZDq7JnZottrueydGfe0dOpAdKL3uifbhMRD8hKvGPfuuf8_a_qUJ9UNPt1iHe2yb55RXdQw6qlFDOJn2osDPquKtadUog-yX6e37r2SudyCodvRmYRN3nCrcen5uDrAmyaKh6TzjFkRuUw/w400-h300/PrisonInterior-COLLAGE.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: prison tower interior, separate floors no longer exist.<br />Right: Tower and city wall.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3thxnBnR9vnzCC2Ue2vNGGeLHZyZiFtrv51rEkXTgbXlZ9A-D3gfAExjffqFB8SWnZ9cq6L3fD_2pWtLEn5kRT2KrsgqwypKT5Vz6th_sj8ljklmnCbflZz5JcSqUJZ4sf_2CPSIFleQCsQSJeuwePqhV6_1_00uEYmfDCS1r9il3B87kxEO01Go5gM/s4080/20230917_140624.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3thxnBnR9vnzCC2Ue2vNGGeLHZyZiFtrv51rEkXTgbXlZ9A-D3gfAExjffqFB8SWnZ9cq6L3fD_2pWtLEn5kRT2KrsgqwypKT5Vz6th_sj8ljklmnCbflZz5JcSqUJZ4sf_2CPSIFleQCsQSJeuwePqhV6_1_00uEYmfDCS1r9il3B87kxEO01Go5gM/w400-h300/20230917_140624.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Our final "field trip" took place on Tuesday, September 19, to the small medieval town of Avallon. We chose to go there because it was relatively easy to get to on the train, and it sounded as though it had retained some of its historic charm. We'd never heard of it before we started looking for possible "day out of Auxerre sites." It turned out to be a lovely day.</div><div><br /></div><div>Avallon is situated on a granite spur that overlooks several valleys. This gave it an important military role for several centuries, the first fortifications appearing in the 9th and 10th centuries. Approximately half of its ramparts, the oldest parts of which date to the 15th and 16th centuries, survive. The "good old days" it was not. Like many places in France--and elsewhere, for that matter--rulers came and went, the rise of various movements caused the town to be burned and plundered from time to time, and the inhabitants were ofttimes massacred or died from plague. Good old days, indeed.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6gB6TCqNTO9js_LzMWYhsOpesilVFaht5GaonW1aTPypuSJrJQWzEw_oTmbJasrNOsT9jAsd94TYjNzdmfJaLb8BTbnFHBmoKgG_boOfh3RICz21Bzp-An8MRZzrXcEQPD8kefb2Ldom1iPOVuH1AqB-gNelLRadUvBrHJe-rosEv8HkFRGtEtWhzyo/s2375/AvalMainStreet.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2375" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6gB6TCqNTO9js_LzMWYhsOpesilVFaht5GaonW1aTPypuSJrJQWzEw_oTmbJasrNOsT9jAsd94TYjNzdmfJaLb8BTbnFHBmoKgG_boOfh3RICz21Bzp-An8MRZzrXcEQPD8kefb2Ldom1iPOVuH1AqB-gNelLRadUvBrHJe-rosEv8HkFRGtEtWhzyo/w331-h400/AvalMainStreet.JPG" width="331" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avallon's main street, and the clock tower from 1456.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7BB-BeQTRa9vtN652hycrqYL2Egqtp1F6gx8KgzE3oahrcf9JMgkdxtqhLVrN434-e9zjw_H5NeAJeZEX4EqApz3BAimpBQqbHWUjY0DbZ53-a_J79UasaYVYKoxG67YMZMSJRPqx5sJMwIuk-iKve7YFCLZaCmJzP6TTBz2BuBoFmiAIcaR9lh8Ggw/s2387/AvChurch.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2387" data-original-width="1849" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7BB-BeQTRa9vtN652hycrqYL2Egqtp1F6gx8KgzE3oahrcf9JMgkdxtqhLVrN434-e9zjw_H5NeAJeZEX4EqApz3BAimpBQqbHWUjY0DbZ53-a_J79UasaYVYKoxG67YMZMSJRPqx5sJMwIuk-iKve7YFCLZaCmJzP6TTBz2BuBoFmiAIcaR9lh8Ggw/w310-h400/AvChurch.JPG" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Collegiate Church of Saint-Lazare. Most of the current<br />structure is 12th C. Originally a "Notre Dame", the current name<br />comes from a donation from one of the Dukes of Burgundy of part<br />of Saint Lazare's skull. The church was an important pilgrimage<br /> site, as Saint Lazare was said to have the power<br />to heal leprosy. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KwOQmqPsQEKF_fOoEjCCQpanxpww-ofQowVZyEz1TrNcOcn2-6njNNMXxmDEW_9Dy-v_WlfpWmPJRV-9vByiBZ1J1qwGal6qh7GAKA0up98Bd7QKbLWmTZAGL478yZmvdtWAmEHnM48fQ-w0OqePubHJ0Mq5aVwMU8UgU0z2IEW_XXrGOu6qTWBAShI/s2368/ViewtoCHoir.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2368" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KwOQmqPsQEKF_fOoEjCCQpanxpww-ofQowVZyEz1TrNcOcn2-6njNNMXxmDEW_9Dy-v_WlfpWmPJRV-9vByiBZ1J1qwGal6qh7GAKA0up98Bd7QKbLWmTZAGL478yZmvdtWAmEHnM48fQ-w0OqePubHJ0Mq5aVwMU8UgU0z2IEW_XXrGOu6qTWBAShI/w333-h400/ViewtoCHoir.JPG" width="333" /></a><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking toward the choir of the church, the oldest<br />existing part of the structure. Unusually for the churches<br />we've been in, the interior floor is "stepped down" from<br />back to front, as it follows the natural elevation of the<br />granite on which it is built.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5j_UAYE8DRi6VZ3N-8N33UJTySXtnnJ8rmi1n1eI2tn-NyIaGuzaKmW-8dzcPyEtD6BZQMNzxYQUWFOJUUglJkRfY7vEQciMvxRItrWtKXFFaSFOGR6wp-ByjO_Eb7vhoXKBC8kQ8GTe9ffWHy6TgAtdnQXXG_34adqBDxnnpBsBrcOu5EfIiK19yWE/s1196/AvallonFrescos-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1196" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5j_UAYE8DRi6VZ3N-8N33UJTySXtnnJ8rmi1n1eI2tn-NyIaGuzaKmW-8dzcPyEtD6BZQMNzxYQUWFOJUUglJkRfY7vEQciMvxRItrWtKXFFaSFOGR6wp-ByjO_Eb7vhoXKBC8kQ8GTe9ffWHy6TgAtdnQXXG_34adqBDxnnpBsBrcOu5EfIiK19yWE/w400-h300/AvallonFrescos-COLLAGE.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some large remnants of the old frescoes remain, but are<br />badly in need of renovation (which is currently taking place<br />in the church).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNC5iNJqRyV9WlTEhkBo5K-2s1_LH0vc7M3kC3CmODN1F_t083ZDgOCV3pPw9ptwK5dCiBI50ahXzbQr9FmA6Br0LjdAjrNY9sqUcQ0dUKazA1WLjuw4o7S_8_W_DcEO7h9lIJ8VB277nF7kQJRxy4ZOllDq-ZS8iBWDnD3Jn3i_L9ec2C2SLToRM3r68/s2550/TowersAndWall.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNC5iNJqRyV9WlTEhkBo5K-2s1_LH0vc7M3kC3CmODN1F_t083ZDgOCV3pPw9ptwK5dCiBI50ahXzbQr9FmA6Br0LjdAjrNY9sqUcQ0dUKazA1WLjuw4o7S_8_W_DcEO7h9lIJ8VB277nF7kQJRxy4ZOllDq-ZS8iBWDnD3Jn3i_L9ec2C2SLToRM3r68/w309-h400/TowersAndWall.JPG" width="309" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking the pathway which winds between two<br />levels of fortification walls.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZkfJDxD8PMdUy9TXo3JUHsnzW8qPHEtcQtT3sk1Zn70AiEwd3os2x32mVHcNNABFGCdSd9BP7PuuLjzoreYtIpTW1ljlbwy-RlaQ8MMXUM4BbFsiOCpoPqv4YjaZN6WOHxi_-2DLc5Q3CDzCdgU7UsKx0cbDuSflhYk4OK142PmmUNWUkznPPfX00YI/s3330/Pat-overlook-Ava.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3330" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZkfJDxD8PMdUy9TXo3JUHsnzW8qPHEtcQtT3sk1Zn70AiEwd3os2x32mVHcNNABFGCdSd9BP7PuuLjzoreYtIpTW1ljlbwy-RlaQ8MMXUM4BbFsiOCpoPqv4YjaZN6WOHxi_-2DLc5Q3CDzCdgU7UsKx0cbDuSflhYk4OK142PmmUNWUkznPPfX00YI/w360-h400/Pat-overlook-Ava.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was enjoying the sun and the overlook with its view<br />of the Morvan forest to the south.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQJed6UprBXZfpmoyyVopVGb_7PeAs_R_wHCdn_ofpaQ2FXSflK3jAYx8lwFbntqstkAF5WgU8pPGAbpem-1Ee1ERRoo5kmLpbbKfSn-aF4tqNYojLb3yRWKKhMYSdbCO7LcQRVS-kJB-D7A5vngM2hvNfZ3xriuD4WoOP2t5PsZCRx0BKqBaLxocmEs/s897/MiscImagesAvall-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="897" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQJed6UprBXZfpmoyyVopVGb_7PeAs_R_wHCdn_ofpaQ2FXSflK3jAYx8lwFbntqstkAF5WgU8pPGAbpem-1Ee1ERRoo5kmLpbbKfSn-aF4tqNYojLb3yRWKKhMYSdbCO7LcQRVS-kJB-D7A5vngM2hvNfZ3xriuD4WoOP2t5PsZCRx0BKqBaLxocmEs/w400-h400/MiscImagesAvall-COLLAGE.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miscellaneous Avallon. Just one comment: in the upper left<br />is a statute dedicated to Vauban, the genius military engineer<br />of Louis XIV. Vauban was born close to Avallon, and the town<br /> has chosen to honor him in a variety of ways.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif38KmSjVwVYjsEgISYkZ_8dJolEfzUt1WO6MbgwDX1eBerJgNv3xf5M4dTDO4Iys58ZDl7ZritfNUych4WBg-yA595J4aPfIzqk7vAXdUbiGr18f-sgo2ql_qNMIFKBhM0CK1hrN5voyT4yRAMdXpgeCaEIGuurxOuvYJXZI5uiVlkDYb_k8IsMFBCsk/s2001/NapoleonSlepthere.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2001" data-original-width="1483" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif38KmSjVwVYjsEgISYkZ_8dJolEfzUt1WO6MbgwDX1eBerJgNv3xf5M4dTDO4Iys58ZDl7ZritfNUych4WBg-yA595J4aPfIzqk7vAXdUbiGr18f-sgo2ql_qNMIFKBhM0CK1hrN5voyT4yRAMdXpgeCaEIGuurxOuvYJXZI5uiVlkDYb_k8IsMFBCsk/w296-h400/NapoleonSlepthere.JPG" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Hostellerie de la Poste" is notable--not for its<br />architectural beauty, not for its age (1707), not for its<br />gastronomy, but because . . . Napoleon slept here! (In<br /> 1815, on his return from exile in Elba, he spent a night,<br /> and appeared several times on the balcony above the gates).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxb0JPSCc3DcDyD5o2f7Er32DEvX_o_hgLJCZMhuGSbD0rOICT-JOoSHYuMHWh7Uu8LvD8Uvn8cB-Foz4Fy93Y2fQ8Wr3PgejSTX8fh-v4fPa-tbdFA3y-f_GBLu6xvmlLfjKqpZS_Kt_LnUjPQDjIcpP55tBZNiNc8fOxPkNW7cEwCTsZoVXvo7pMczU/s1503/CAt.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1369" data-original-width="1503" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxb0JPSCc3DcDyD5o2f7Er32DEvX_o_hgLJCZMhuGSbD0rOICT-JOoSHYuMHWh7Uu8LvD8Uvn8cB-Foz4Fy93Y2fQ8Wr3PgejSTX8fh-v4fPa-tbdFA3y-f_GBLu6xvmlLfjKqpZS_Kt_LnUjPQDjIcpP55tBZNiNc8fOxPkNW7cEwCTsZoVXvo7pMczU/w400-h364/CAt.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The French often allow pets in restaurants. Usually it's dogs, <br />but this was the first time I'd seen someone bring their cat on a <br />leash. The cat had done really well walking on the leash on the<br />approach to the restaurant, but wasn't too crazy about all of the<br />people on the terrace--or the dog at the table next to us--so the<br />owner had to pick up his huge Norwegian Forest Cat in order<br />to enter l'Horloge (which had great food, by the way).</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The remainder of our week continued to be pretty low-key, with the usual day-to-day and winter prep activities. The end of the week was stormy and rainy, so we did what we could indoors. Next week--our last week on the boat--will likely be more of the same, although if time and energy levels permit, we may try for one more "field trip" before leaving Burgundy until sometime next April.<br /><div><br /></div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-83457901267681779952023-09-13T08:09:00.001-07:002024-01-03T08:28:00.128-08:00Norway #3: A Polar Perspective<p _msthash="1490" _msttexthash="89340836">While we might have hoped for a nice sunny day to explore Trondheim, we counted our blessings that, grey as it was, the rain mostly held off for our walk around town on Sunday, September 3. Our hotel was in the port neighborhood, which put us within a 15-minute walk of the city center, and an additional 10–15-minute walk got us to the charming former working-class neighborhood of Bakklandet as well as the late 17th century Kristiansted Fortress.</p><p _msthash="1491" _msttexthash="235542918">Trondheim is the third largest city in Norway, with a population of just over 200,000. It's a technology center for the country, and is also a renowned center of Scandinavian gastronomy. Apparently, the Norse of centuries past couldn't make up their minds where they wanted their national capitol to be, because Trondheim served as such for about two centuries, from shortly after its founding by the Viking King Olav Tryggvason in 997 until 1217, when Bergen took over the honors (and after Bergen came Oslo, and then Copenhagen, and then finally Oslo again). And, like seemingly every other city in Norway, destructive city fires have had a huge impact on the current appearance and layout of Trondheim. </p><p _msthash="1492" _msttexthash="29530085">As it was a Sunday morning, and the famous Nidaros Cathedral would not be open to visitors until the afternoon, we decided to start our tour by heading to the furthest of the locations we wanted to visit, the Kristiansten festning (fortress). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7yBv6rUwq1iI3FPnOsU-hi8tmK7hDfuxCGTB-CaEUIYiiQ6ofziF_L1_liABiWBNErraa5Zc9gMOqj-Bd-pSk05MvQLcgmBAJZFuqzIu1AnN6cxyeM1ZSGDs8U1LsZKURe6Foy4VbBsPcrg_yOi8sUiMwQlfT8jb9jHP88M--V4fNqePi8Nrn4SfUPM/s4080/TrondMarket.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2329" data-original-width="4080" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7yBv6rUwq1iI3FPnOsU-hi8tmK7hDfuxCGTB-CaEUIYiiQ6ofziF_L1_liABiWBNErraa5Zc9gMOqj-Bd-pSk05MvQLcgmBAJZFuqzIu1AnN6cxyeM1ZSGDs8U1LsZKURe6Foy4VbBsPcrg_yOi8sUiMwQlfT8jb9jHP88M--V4fNqePi8Nrn4SfUPM/w400-h229/TrondMarket.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span _msthash="1493" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="7077811">Our route took us by this Sunday morning market adjacent to the<br _mstmutation="1" />Nidelva River and its colorful wooden warehouses.</span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBq5Bw6clz1raBXKWPQVRy6eul3vxgzf0WHOKKPX9zhgUwYtgCIKmJP9rcqZCcBKm8NYz3KWRwy4G5Vj-L7ubEtnckA5BBImTc1S686e_FlN-4bxCxhHnI8F99D2Kycj_SxFK2Mf_LoNRLxsNHYiEExowDJjJJW-LHWIWwWnAmnED0pThLYP-_IVSUiV4/s4080/Troldbridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2731" data-original-width="4080" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBq5Bw6clz1raBXKWPQVRy6eul3vxgzf0WHOKKPX9zhgUwYtgCIKmJP9rcqZCcBKm8NYz3KWRwy4G5Vj-L7ubEtnckA5BBImTc1S686e_FlN-4bxCxhHnI8F99D2Kycj_SxFK2Mf_LoNRLxsNHYiEExowDJjJJW-LHWIWwWnAmnED0pThLYP-_IVSUiV4/w400-h268/Troldbridge.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span _msthash="1494" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="14654679">The Old Town Bridge, an 1861 reconstruction of a bridge first<br _mstmutation="1" />built in 1681. It crosses the Nidelva River to connect central<br _mstmutation="1" />Trondheim with the Bakklandet neighborhood.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBq5Bw6clz1raBXKWPQVRy6eul3vxgzf0WHOKKPX9zhgUwYtgCIKmJP9rcqZCcBKm8NYz3KWRwy4G5Vj-L7ubEtnckA5BBImTc1S686e_FlN-4bxCxhHnI8F99D2Kycj_SxFK2Mf_LoNRLxsNHYiEExowDJjJJW-LHWIWwWnAmnED0pThLYP-_IVSUiV4/s4080/Troldbridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pfqQAPC69f-K8BVRnifQwF4M8gJQYvHVe3KS20FxiMtB254RZdrELmmO392uHjJuy7MYmqmuSdiV1QLnapnUngTt2WfFr8sZaBSEKKlZF3uGjnuy6tDkOyFFGAP4zMgTzhsQln_pY5qiAm5ydSHJ4ztiJ0fvQLOPWLmFiokj8muL9Og_XJZsBBKKOGI/s4080/trriverhouses.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2043" data-original-width="4080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pfqQAPC69f-K8BVRnifQwF4M8gJQYvHVe3KS20FxiMtB254RZdrELmmO392uHjJuy7MYmqmuSdiV1QLnapnUngTt2WfFr8sZaBSEKKlZF3uGjnuy6tDkOyFFGAP4zMgTzhsQln_pY5qiAm5ydSHJ4ztiJ0fvQLOPWLmFiokj8muL9Og_XJZsBBKKOGI/w640-h320/trriverhouses.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td _msthash="1495" _msttexthash="21683753" class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The historic wharf buildings lining the Nidelva, as viewed from the Old <br />Town Bridge. The Bakklandet neighborhood is on the right side<br /> of the photo. The oldest of the wharf buildings dates to the 18th century.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsd7niUbY4fhmYFPunCMGynB7irwx9nGjUIffF8hBz3EfTpc1pETkNfpdYBX5CVclLRH4vG1pHURquf8aHONzROvKJNnL__g_8uOL5DhiPbqx6J1SACbJXUwPv6sjoJ0asgRKm2jp3YC8foStK2J8_PczlzqzlgY0Kv4RAp6I9y1apvJ_2WP5AIpBfxE/s3060/oldtoowntr.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2491" data-original-width="3060" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfsd7niUbY4fhmYFPunCMGynB7irwx9nGjUIffF8hBz3EfTpc1pETkNfpdYBX5CVclLRH4vG1pHURquf8aHONzROvKJNnL__g_8uOL5DhiPbqx6J1SACbJXUwPv6sjoJ0asgRKm2jp3YC8foStK2J8_PczlzqzlgY0Kv4RAp6I9y1apvJ_2WP5AIpBfxE/w400-h325/oldtoowntr.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span _msthash="1496" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="9627098">Perhaps the grey skies and the fact that it wasn't yet noon<br _mstmutation="1" />kept the cobbled streets of Bakklandet so quiet during our <br _mstmutation="1" />initial passage.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YAMrxRBnMCkdqpt7_ywzc6uz073zqJDa3GsL6j4Kh-orbkgHtFB3OsRUgymQApuF8ZnO2lZ4IbYLaXe_WsbRz0p0Nxk6dg6B24sV6R7FUNE93CDFZgjtk-JdBFo5VMeEcm-MVPyFAPObsQKD7IE1-N4yS2W2d16abo3cu2Lqc_BKShUVdZzSrUERN1A/s3962/trFortress.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2523" data-original-width="3962" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YAMrxRBnMCkdqpt7_ywzc6uz073zqJDa3GsL6j4Kh-orbkgHtFB3OsRUgymQApuF8ZnO2lZ4IbYLaXe_WsbRz0p0Nxk6dg6B24sV6R7FUNE93CDFZgjtk-JdBFo5VMeEcm-MVPyFAPObsQKD7IE1-N4yS2W2d16abo3cu2Lqc_BKShUVdZzSrUERN1A/w400-h255/trFortress.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span _msthash="1497" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="71479135">The defensive tower of Kristiansten Fortress, located on top of<br _mstmutation="1" />a hill east of central Trondheim. Built in the 1680's to protect the<br _mstmutation="1" />city after the city fire of 1681. The fortress was the official place<br _mstmutation="1" />of execution of condemned traitors and war criminals following<br _mstmutation="1" />the legal proceedings in Norway after WWII. We wanted to visit<br _mstmutation="1" />the museum here, but alas, it was closed for the season.</span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tWe1F9_TvriON8YEzvoNxSC9h4hFrf4iyOD4h-lgEGw0KaV_Ok1rt7fTKYP0m3OVpU6X4f_q-vt_XpYqd5dFd1tslIHpYEY-S9uwreZyaF8Ry-qiwd8T7-jwmMY2pCLaI4A-RnsnCQEapSMN8HijoQUBypEQYO2iivDwhhvUUaYisCfQS9dWA2HmCHE/s4080/abandonedscooters.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2218" data-original-width="4080" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tWe1F9_TvriON8YEzvoNxSC9h4hFrf4iyOD4h-lgEGw0KaV_Ok1rt7fTKYP0m3OVpU6X4f_q-vt_XpYqd5dFd1tslIHpYEY-S9uwreZyaF8Ry-qiwd8T7-jwmMY2pCLaI4A-RnsnCQEapSMN8HijoQUBypEQYO2iivDwhhvUUaYisCfQS9dWA2HmCHE/w640-h347/abandonedscooters.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td _msthash="1498" _msttexthash="14641328" class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was quite a hike up the hill to get to the fortress. Scooters are very popular in Norway, but<br /> apparently the hill to the fortress is where scooter (batteries) go to die.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div _msthash="1499" _msttexthash="38877462">We made our way back down the hill to Bakklandet, then waited out a brief rain shower with lunch in the quaint wine bar NB6. Other tourists and the citizens of Trondheim had woken up by that time, because the streets were noticeably busier as we made our way to the Nidaros Cathedral.</div><div><br /></div><div _msthash="1500" _msttexthash="387804495">The Nidaros Cathedral is likely the most visited tourist attraction in Trondheim. It is an active Church of Norway cathedral built over the burial site of Viking King Olav II, who became the patron saint of Norway. Construction started in 1030 and continued until about 1300, although there have been subsequent periods when additions and renovations were made. It is the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world, and has traditionally been used for the coronation (these days, consecration) of Norse royalty. The basic entry fee for the cathedral was about 12 dollars U.S., so given the number of visitors it's not surprising that there is enough money coming in to fund the work that keeps obvious deterioration at bay. It is quite unlike so many of the incredible churches we've seen in France that struggle to keep ahead of damp and decay, but then, most of them don't charge admission fees.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIat6SsTc4YD_p54_UpnIaXh_ELlfwbdB1wdOEtvk_vCkIK_JcV2E9vT_2MnGx6OsEPbBmfoxYTp1ntinEXoyeLrtXWGnlZz47xnsCP8ZILyd3EdD6_5Ly67gePwQWZOCb02a3m3g42EgZDkKwlv0euZYT42XntqJmuv26e-mZt_ZIvc9EY9XUwFTx4Mk/s4080/NidarosSide.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2859" data-original-width="4080" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIat6SsTc4YD_p54_UpnIaXh_ELlfwbdB1wdOEtvk_vCkIK_JcV2E9vT_2MnGx6OsEPbBmfoxYTp1ntinEXoyeLrtXWGnlZz47xnsCP8ZILyd3EdD6_5Ly67gePwQWZOCb02a3m3g42EgZDkKwlv0euZYT42XntqJmuv26e-mZt_ZIvc9EY9XUwFTx4Mk/w400-h280/NidarosSide.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td _msthash="1501" _msttexthash="884000" class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching the Nidaros Cathedral. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYe4xVUfxSZ_HPEvbe9pVtQi7aDeYpG_ou_LgZSiJqScTZQaOapupjfz64caQExv6t0k0pH9HMNTlfIGzHcm5TwzXq4G82GKWZ8DKbYEk155gLJGpVa73jtv7RyeBqQTSv0LTe0keZMh38WVwpQroygHgGBaWu-VPZYcSyp6H2rgFPh3dzt1oyH26OAo/s4080/nidarosvisitorcenter.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2646" data-original-width="4080" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYe4xVUfxSZ_HPEvbe9pVtQi7aDeYpG_ou_LgZSiJqScTZQaOapupjfz64caQExv6t0k0pH9HMNTlfIGzHcm5TwzXq4G82GKWZ8DKbYEk155gLJGpVa73jtv7RyeBqQTSv0LTe0keZMh38WVwpQroygHgGBaWu-VPZYcSyp6H2rgFPh3dzt1oyH26OAo/w400-h260/nidarosvisitorcenter.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td _msthash="1502" _msttexthash="19012344" class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To the right, a portion of the west facade of the cathedral. To<br />the left, the modern tourist center for the cathedral that sells<br />the tickets and souvenirs that help to keep the cathedral funded.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD3xtcurQbWlTyZMVhawPD31P_fApHu4pgR3ZAUsON3A7kdmvSadCIcyjTO1v67CWqWwogO1eqK1V0z5IC-duvOo49qj_pZOimk7vrBgrfohwMaCuCKxAOZcMySb1c6zeAtaPEJoKtA-EDUXCw8wIRBgiO7w7Doee5WVKZ7MjWDeRq4o-yTVC5y-Au6Y/s4043/nidaroswfacade.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4043" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD3xtcurQbWlTyZMVhawPD31P_fApHu4pgR3ZAUsON3A7kdmvSadCIcyjTO1v67CWqWwogO1eqK1V0z5IC-duvOo49qj_pZOimk7vrBgrfohwMaCuCKxAOZcMySb1c6zeAtaPEJoKtA-EDUXCw8wIRBgiO7w7Doee5WVKZ7MjWDeRq4o-yTVC5y-Au6Y/w400-h303/nidaroswfacade.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span _msthash="1503" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="69365127">The west facade of the cathedral. As far as I could tell,<br _mstmutation="1" />there's not a single head missing from the statuary. To be fair,<br _mstmutation="1" />the sculptures are restorations from 1905-1983, and although<br _mstmutation="1" />somewhat based on historical records and a 17th century print,<br _mstmutation="1" />one source states that there <i _mstmutation="1">is</i> an element of "guesswork<br _mstmutation="1" />and/or fantasy," including the Archangel Michael with the<br _mstmutation="1" />face of Bob Dylan.</span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh747Swglsb30EZBPD2jOZ_tX3uPbb9hRM2LEM3dJsZegoeot-4z7vx07SpPGKfh1Wh-N5MjAa1mYnOrbM7HkGy-DQwCpwFIiDnhCQYEcbbl0rR9zxDZyFT3PjXx7KeI4D3SwQ5RK9tMbSACZGAVHjybnXF-dhidpSjT_VpRk35PL_JpOKGPaTwPV0PXNU/s3471/naverosewindow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3471" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh747Swglsb30EZBPD2jOZ_tX3uPbb9hRM2LEM3dJsZegoeot-4z7vx07SpPGKfh1Wh-N5MjAa1mYnOrbM7HkGy-DQwCpwFIiDnhCQYEcbbl0rR9zxDZyFT3PjXx7KeI4D3SwQ5RK9tMbSACZGAVHjybnXF-dhidpSjT_VpRk35PL_JpOKGPaTwPV0PXNU/w353-h400/naverosewindow.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="353" /></td></tr><tr><td _msthash="1504" _msttexthash="1988649" class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rose window above the west entrance to the cathedral.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh747Swglsb30EZBPD2jOZ_tX3uPbb9hRM2LEM3dJsZegoeot-4z7vx07SpPGKfh1Wh-N5MjAa1mYnOrbM7HkGy-DQwCpwFIiDnhCQYEcbbl0rR9zxDZyFT3PjXx7KeI4D3SwQ5RK9tMbSACZGAVHjybnXF-dhidpSjT_VpRk35PL_JpOKGPaTwPV0PXNU/s3471/naverosewindow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4C5rR_Ia617opVsGBp4g3PA5Oa-z8WWHGY1d536b6Oxj5oBM0-nZrLlPdp91rRa-GKOqLbgUao44tpdNUHcpSsMW1w5jO0x9hoKRwgFqtU-jmCpd6p0YCXWPTXtapg5aBEDR37_KJ2z7jrll0m78u-txlutMxsnNl_P_IDVJh4y0lxlPGYQo1gAElo3g/s3698/nidarosNave.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3698" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4C5rR_Ia617opVsGBp4g3PA5Oa-z8WWHGY1d536b6Oxj5oBM0-nZrLlPdp91rRa-GKOqLbgUao44tpdNUHcpSsMW1w5jO0x9hoKRwgFqtU-jmCpd6p0YCXWPTXtapg5aBEDR37_KJ2z7jrll0m78u-txlutMxsnNl_P_IDVJh4y0lxlPGYQo1gAElo3g/w331-h400/nidarosNave.jpg" width="331" /></a></td></tr><tr><td _msthash="1505" _msttexthash="2435953" class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tour guide with a captive audience in the nave<br />of the cathedral. What the guide is wearing looks like<br />every choir robe I've ever seen in a Lutheran church.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEZh3o1EJlOzVUNXT7AgrqCxMDX6u8UCHynkms01TToZ4T65UEeVTBee6CpoB8eSxuZb59ca1b8AkU2D-jdujESe_5A0CcUjXgA-huARSal46KTWEXycwlN1ZSSujVq4ZKAM_VmXaBefaLsYmUDEbdC-Jw9GoP0fwAHlcwXui8OQz0WWVoKmSgIPS5f0/s2882/baroqueorgan.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2587" data-original-width="2882" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEZh3o1EJlOzVUNXT7AgrqCxMDX6u8UCHynkms01TToZ4T65UEeVTBee6CpoB8eSxuZb59ca1b8AkU2D-jdujESe_5A0CcUjXgA-huARSal46KTWEXycwlN1ZSSujVq4ZKAM_VmXaBefaLsYmUDEbdC-Jw9GoP0fwAHlcwXui8OQz0WWVoKmSgIPS5f0/w400-h359/baroqueorgan.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td _msthash="1507" _msttexthash="17331912" class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The smaller, but definitely more ornate, of the cathedral's two<br />organs. The main organ was commissioned in 1930 and has<br />thousands of pipes. This baroque organ was built in the late 1730's.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCNp0izju1mWC3Ab48PzIZVWXoaauR_WkN1txkwKh0EmbI1oRA2cvHQmLqoDQl672xPl2CLO8XpGoZun2I1yVG6vJdlNm0k8EP_W8KEXoWnfTPUh_iSCyPoaJc-lM-ttVWLmC_ANjKoHqi8faLB5ZyjRygwj0PAdcL9ncA_JWc6NpfMqEb2vzMHazZM0/s4064/nidarosint.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4064" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCNp0izju1mWC3Ab48PzIZVWXoaauR_WkN1txkwKh0EmbI1oRA2cvHQmLqoDQl672xPl2CLO8XpGoZun2I1yVG6vJdlNm0k8EP_W8KEXoWnfTPUh_iSCyPoaJc-lM-ttVWLmC_ANjKoHqi8faLB5ZyjRygwj0PAdcL9ncA_JWc6NpfMqEb2vzMHazZM0/w301-h400/nidarosint.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td _msthash="1506" _msttexthash="27013883" class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because we rarely meet a church tower we didn't<br />want to climb, we funded the cathedral a bit more<br />by paying to climb one of the towers. This was our view<br />just before entering the spiral staircase of the tower<br />for the 2nd leg of the climb.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2-Lwg_N9dX1fAucqJHTR9M_csQ-hnUqSUcBPe6diOAbh02O_AJ0o7PjPbZwNl3UDd_5vSXcvtBhJ_Y3vLAfoD7FC6MYZx2ExRcmFPpm1GlV-DmGiJTNzXOC4qI3421IyRYQ6QPIKEIs16i3-ttAkEV8KGHoTSyzjyVnEKQTHwu3bUIxtpt_dhBez6Jc/s4072/nidarosepisc.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4072" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2-Lwg_N9dX1fAucqJHTR9M_csQ-hnUqSUcBPe6diOAbh02O_AJ0o7PjPbZwNl3UDd_5vSXcvtBhJ_Y3vLAfoD7FC6MYZx2ExRcmFPpm1GlV-DmGiJTNzXOC4qI3421IyRYQ6QPIKEIs16i3-ttAkEV8KGHoTSyzjyVnEKQTHwu3bUIxtpt_dhBez6Jc/w300-h400/nidarosepisc.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td _msthash="1508" _msttexthash="36982933" class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 200+ steps up an incredibly narrow winding staircase <br />(that nearly gave me an anxiety attack from claustrophobia)<br /> gave us this view of the Archbishop's Palace (at left). The<br /> palace is one of the largest medieval stone structures in<br /> Scandinavia, and its oldest walls date back to the 1300s.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYsa69UgfwX2r9OxDFosSXrvGwUBJmj8yFDJyJerJ3DtIZFOZWLy_3W-odPqhMJcv03O84pj57hk0few1o_FYMbWjGNvL3QIDAVFD1UBlmWGBERG1qyVBPLQsJl5HbLrSCxF56BJWyah2SPEm9ewy9ems9XU4lDdaRdG_1gzGLzvFWVw3v7fP_dCDTI0/s4822/trondheimpanorama2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1555" data-original-width="4822" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYsa69UgfwX2r9OxDFosSXrvGwUBJmj8yFDJyJerJ3DtIZFOZWLy_3W-odPqhMJcv03O84pj57hk0few1o_FYMbWjGNvL3QIDAVFD1UBlmWGBERG1qyVBPLQsJl5HbLrSCxF56BJWyah2SPEm9ewy9ems9XU4lDdaRdG_1gzGLzvFWVw3v7fP_dCDTI0/w640-h206/trondheimpanorama2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td _msthash="1509" _msttexthash="16248362" class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The quickest way to a city overview is a church tower climb. Looking east, we can see the fortress tower we saw earlier in the day (the white building at the center top of the photo).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhyjdybwzLhVEYMwgC3uh9hqXF7RwKMTObqGIUjxdnPmUt1ZzL9CoLbAoVj8vD2igknKU7ZJOMUzBtcn0F7Ks7o4JESKckKWBBFveJ3hB6l1dJ7ACQ-ArVWGwOlRdbESLFzOUe2dLtoLe-aJy9AVKLB3qGtTBOxwCrpw_itRqnEVCwavZ5vHbFEwY4Z8/s5124/trondheimpanorama.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1490" data-original-width="5124" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhyjdybwzLhVEYMwgC3uh9hqXF7RwKMTObqGIUjxdnPmUt1ZzL9CoLbAoVj8vD2igknKU7ZJOMUzBtcn0F7Ks7o4JESKckKWBBFveJ3hB6l1dJ7ACQ-ArVWGwOlRdbESLFzOUe2dLtoLe-aJy9AVKLB3qGtTBOxwCrpw_itRqnEVCwavZ5vHbFEwY4Z8/w640-h186/trondheimpanorama.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span _msthash="1510" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="3822117">Looking north toward the city center and beyond to the harbor and Trondheim Fjord.</span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0y_5Yoxg9KTmJnJ6l34fbkH8-h2IOrZpHDDimkRqloSxTI2WX5wBo1HsS-uFAkHXndNNg2rwEnnCRBm9xX-PN-hcSywwzl9gNyeDucPMZXKt9A-UE0TI5_FTKC4cpq2Ix5I7d8JF9QmW52ff83n5JeVGqH5KthRn7H52KxK6cOkZRBfVzxVPbXDsy_IY/s4007/nidarosgravestones.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4007" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0y_5Yoxg9KTmJnJ6l34fbkH8-h2IOrZpHDDimkRqloSxTI2WX5wBo1HsS-uFAkHXndNNg2rwEnnCRBm9xX-PN-hcSywwzl9gNyeDucPMZXKt9A-UE0TI5_FTKC4cpq2Ix5I7d8JF9QmW52ff83n5JeVGqH5KthRn7H52KxK6cOkZRBfVzxVPbXDsy_IY/w400-h305/nidarosgravestones.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td _msthash="1511" _msttexthash="8682193" class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not everything interesting is up high. The cathedral crypt houses<br />the largest collection of medieval gravestones in Norway.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0y_5Yoxg9KTmJnJ6l34fbkH8-h2IOrZpHDDimkRqloSxTI2WX5wBo1HsS-uFAkHXndNNg2rwEnnCRBm9xX-PN-hcSywwzl9gNyeDucPMZXKt9A-UE0TI5_FTKC4cpq2Ix5I7d8JF9QmW52ff83n5JeVGqH5KthRn7H52KxK6cOkZRBfVzxVPbXDsy_IY/s4007/nidarosgravestones.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><span _msthash="1512" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="14989754">After the cathedral visit we were definitely in "it's been a long day and it's time to head back to the hotel to rest up before our early morning train to Mo i Rana" territory.</span><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVSNqdgmkRP0v0qZZPd6eRXoXTDvXZJAmVgUSulBqy0TaUIlll8LEz3bJGMC0mbX24MbWyDgzgUCHjWzUuengiFSwXaHpGX2ISvE35E-JkVhvYsNLiCN-cQsK0P7GK_MSoDi9hl9bIUlW_LCsfftAQHUX5UQ-IHzI8yJW-yERWQkBTwg-uYVRVUR_jTk/s4080/Trondheim%20Center.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1805" data-original-width="4080" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVSNqdgmkRP0v0qZZPd6eRXoXTDvXZJAmVgUSulBqy0TaUIlll8LEz3bJGMC0mbX24MbWyDgzgUCHjWzUuengiFSwXaHpGX2ISvE35E-JkVhvYsNLiCN-cQsK0P7GK_MSoDi9hl9bIUlW_LCsfftAQHUX5UQ-IHzI8yJW-yERWQkBTwg-uYVRVUR_jTk/w640-h285/Trondheim%20Center.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td _msthash="1513" _msttexthash="2468050" class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wet walk through central Trondheim on the way back to the hotel.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div _msthash="1514" _msttexthash="23361182">An easy 10-minute walk on Monday morning, September 4, took us from our hotel to the Trondheim train station for our 398 km/239 mile/6 hr 39 min trip to the town of Mo i Rana, which is about 50 miles south of the Arctic Circle.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG97z0rHxFNFHCYppdfKFU4y70hujfIA5iXEr_XybYjI8WeCD7ntirvLEx1UDdhp-5DkbMOfWoUPnChkegbYqIbGHkaNuQvGfZEZBgXxCrkDPeqAbN8q9P0xI_0_Q-kQNGRVmMd_kDIXvxTM3DIvahGp8PClCljS6TTbhjguiZ4yUL8BgW0cTvU-UnG6Q/s2624/LonPremium.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1831" data-original-width="2624" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG97z0rHxFNFHCYppdfKFU4y70hujfIA5iXEr_XybYjI8WeCD7ntirvLEx1UDdhp-5DkbMOfWoUPnChkegbYqIbGHkaNuQvGfZEZBgXxCrkDPeqAbN8q9P0xI_0_Q-kQNGRVmMd_kDIXvxTM3DIvahGp8PClCljS6TTbhjguiZ4yUL8BgW0cTvU-UnG6Q/w400-h279/LonPremium.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td _msthash="1515" _msttexthash="25388376" class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because the train trip was so long, we opted for the "premium" <br />experience: more leg room, fewer fellow passengers, unlimited<br />water-coffee-tea-hot chocolate, and an interesting couple<br />of open-face sandwiches for "breakfast".</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span _msthash="1667" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="5929066">The scenery was again a beautiful combination of mountains, water, and farms and villages here and there. We were, of course, moved to take another several hundred photos during the trip, but as it all looked very similar to our previous photos, there's no need to post them here. It was a mostly overcast day, but the rain held off until were very nearly at Mo i Rana, so at least we weren't looking at scenery through rain-streaked windows the whole day. We wished the rain had held off a bit longer, because our walk from train station to hotel, although short, was a wet one--and the windy conditions made it impractical to use our umbrella. </span><br /><br /><div>Mo i Rana translates as "Mo in Rana", and the town was named after the old church (from 1724) parish, which in turn took its name from the old "Mo" farm on which the Mo church was built. "Rana" is the name of the municipality and comes from an Old Norse term for the "quick" or "fast" water of the nearby Ranfjord. Current day "Mo" is not a town that a tourist would typically visit if they didn't have former family connections to the area. It was a small village in the 1700's, started to gain some trading prominence in the 1860's when wholesale merchant L.A. Meyer opened a trade center in Mo, but really changed with the advent of large-scale iron mining in the early 1900's and steel production in the 1950's. An industrial city was born. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGeCD5CEzL5aP13rmQwPSRCYYckuoQTquphoFSbXvUdiiKEdSndiujs0thM9fAULERL6Cp55haEPSUPRR6IGtuJWd9aFVklBrT7KQtgoFvqnCTajwDGmiMp-REsz0wlMmBOTzT3neC01g-dw8cJKMJoo7TgxSMNLieiw3Rr3fyarNCMQukadQGGFAWZuw/s897/oldMIR-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="674" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGeCD5CEzL5aP13rmQwPSRCYYckuoQTquphoFSbXvUdiiKEdSndiujs0thM9fAULERL6Cp55haEPSUPRR6IGtuJWd9aFVklBrT7KQtgoFvqnCTajwDGmiMp-REsz0wlMmBOTzT3neC01g-dw8cJKMJoo7TgxSMNLieiw3Rr3fyarNCMQukadQGGFAWZuw/w480-h640/oldMIR-COLLAGE.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the local history museum come these photos<br />of old Mo. The top photo shows the farm and what<br />existed of homes at the waterfront/port. The bottom<br />shows the old Mo church.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwridCKsAaf-rogRngmj_3y2RTkAQUNGawTHhhjy82GVbrRmh4rTf3f8sliwvC6cV_UxrwxsbcqkduLwE3i5N7lV57voqWCd4HeD9WZ_41hHkqRfIig_1aeoL6oyKogCAVgsGKgnmDciw0vRBrVK4ZpC44dEkx-HJgSYoLkm4zdz1ipgYzRcs7L4be-I/s2481/ModernMo.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2481" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGwridCKsAaf-rogRngmj_3y2RTkAQUNGawTHhhjy82GVbrRmh4rTf3f8sliwvC6cV_UxrwxsbcqkduLwE3i5N7lV57voqWCd4HeD9WZ_41hHkqRfIig_1aeoL6oyKogCAVgsGKgnmDciw0vRBrVK4ZpC44dEkx-HJgSYoLkm4zdz1ipgYzRcs7L4be-I/w400-h220/ModernMo.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mo Church, circled in blue, and its current surroundings<br />(photo from the Rana Museum).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AdgHViDL_oT55zXc9GtTAhWKxYKT-EUxvHpAXFYUGRE82QIZcSWfygLkELViCKCuWzNUo-bnMPFZfA_qSCQon_ob6pvIe_VDQR2CjtT1YtauNJsbVTSiKS27Nc-5qO66j9mKG5H6G6VcJH-TtOVKyihgD25aT6fWcPU7vxOv1lCo2wgYtPppuhpKEU8/s1080/mirSki-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AdgHViDL_oT55zXc9GtTAhWKxYKT-EUxvHpAXFYUGRE82QIZcSWfygLkELViCKCuWzNUo-bnMPFZfA_qSCQon_ob6pvIe_VDQR2CjtT1YtauNJsbVTSiKS27Nc-5qO66j9mKG5H6G6VcJH-TtOVKyihgD25aT6fWcPU7vxOv1lCo2wgYtPppuhpKEU8/w480-h640/mirSki-COLLAGE.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our hotel room shows a sprawling Mo, with ski jumps<br />on the mountainside and with blocky and utilitarian modern<br /> construction--and a bit of rainbow beauty over the adjacent fjord.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Bottom line, my Norwegian relatives who left this area in the 1880's knew a very different Mo. Then again, they didn't actually live in Mo itself, but on a farm called Auster Almlia that was located in the Dunderland Valley along the Ranelva River, nearly 25 miles to the northeast of Mo. This particular branch of the family tree is that of one of my great-grandmothers, my mom's grandmother (on her mother's side) Malene Nelson. Malene's great-grandfather Ola Nissa was the first recorded family member to lease the Almlia farm; his lease began in 1782. His son Per Andreas Olsa leased the farm starting in 1808; Per's son--Malene's father--Haagen Pedersen (Haka Persa) leased the farm from 1851 until he left for the U.S. in 1888. Malene had emigrated to the U.S. earlier, although the dates in various documents that I've seen don't agree as to whether it was 1881, 1882, or 1888. Malene was one of ten children. All ultimately emigrated to the U.S. at varying times in the 1880's, as did her parents; one brother later moved to Canada in 1918.<div><br /></div><div>We picked up our rental car on Tuesday, September 5, in order to drive out to the location of the old farm. I knew that the farm still existed and was now owned by an artisan-silversmith called Øyvind Stjernen. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4lmrI5PRPp5Hfec78gTkgaoNwc36e2s7wsxcbvjqenwSuIrKrHHd02V95NpXpLdLjIKywpid7zHxNV7mJP-FXyCKgPjfXblMbqwaFBT2Lgv4xZRpdfnFQ2_eOa3VNhtMKaMXUA8l1Lyj8EkosfqVWAAV199ZC7Emd_9LFSBQ_WPsI0Lvh7b40YB3JVk/s4080/drivingtogg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1781" data-original-width="4080" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4lmrI5PRPp5Hfec78gTkgaoNwc36e2s7wsxcbvjqenwSuIrKrHHd02V95NpXpLdLjIKywpid7zHxNV7mJP-FXyCKgPjfXblMbqwaFBT2Lgv4xZRpdfnFQ2_eOa3VNhtMKaMXUA8l1Lyj8EkosfqVWAAV199ZC7Emd_9LFSBQ_WPsI0Lvh7b40YB3JVk/w640-h280/drivingtogg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road out to Almlia was upgraded about 10 years ago and driving was a breeze. The river<br />kept coming in and out of view and mountains were all around. Beautiful--and<br />scarcely populated.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgR4irvWPocgg6DGdwXX7AZwOA8zaTBI2LT508ituULbPXdRGob2XMM7RmYkSvCEsy9Fny1JNxJYtfG73FITNWupy6gQbtLVpD_Z9dj6TRlhijBE4kqQk2umlAf89OgrSI-4uMlzPkL9axHbr1bmuIVhx85B1PMVQiQZARXZJlF3MqcCBMuMHwrC-O3bM/s897/GGMainEntry-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="674" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgR4irvWPocgg6DGdwXX7AZwOA8zaTBI2LT508ituULbPXdRGob2XMM7RmYkSvCEsy9Fny1JNxJYtfG73FITNWupy6gQbtLVpD_Z9dj6TRlhijBE4kqQk2umlAf89OgrSI-4uMlzPkL9axHbr1bmuIVhx85B1PMVQiQZARXZJlF3MqcCBMuMHwrC-O3bM/w480-h640/GGMainEntry-COLLAGE.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The entry to the farm. At top, from the highway approach Mr. Stjernen had<br />noted that his business was "open" from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. At bottom, <br />the driveway leading into the property.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2PB-VseFhRs_eAMFtRbPVlNqmU6uvnwrCijJuRC5VSkXbuRqf2JuFxvo6OyM3SJuANq8fYvghhRZLAk3Fff6_t6sgjLBoDzvAbFEMGVcyf33Ac_5q7y62gNAfJJa5JN8x1aeZJV5YZpKEfT2iPRx6jkf3_uKMCydusuXm_UnNoyxIDnmc0QKc9RkW9o/s2608/workshop.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="2608" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2PB-VseFhRs_eAMFtRbPVlNqmU6uvnwrCijJuRC5VSkXbuRqf2JuFxvo6OyM3SJuANq8fYvghhRZLAk3Fff6_t6sgjLBoDzvAbFEMGVcyf33Ac_5q7y62gNAfJJa5JN8x1aeZJV5YZpKEfT2iPRx6jkf3_uKMCydusuXm_UnNoyxIDnmc0QKc9RkW9o/w400-h201/workshop.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We parked by the log building with the sod roof. It turned out<br />to be a combination workshop-sales floor-cafe for "Stjernen<br />Art and Silver." Although the building looked old, Mr. Stjernen<br />told us that he had constructed the building; it was not<br />original to the farm.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Lon ended up knocking on the door of the house on the property in order to find the owner/proprietor. What followed was a wonderful hour or so of fascinating conversation.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-i_1Pes7hFNmv0bswY7md4vX6pyXiSLCAth0mQvspw70Ri9IXNd0d16WpArjnAaJGZKq4VUllcjiZtmWgTBK8JZSN4WOmmEen-ZAc5hEfU5BGnoJl7gseDJP2bI4F1GWX9NBBux48oms50sS8M2dSOOQN_7tHMw0TkOuuHUYlxDDQkX5EJNV0hBhCaIU/s2600/PatandOs.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2600" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-i_1Pes7hFNmv0bswY7md4vX6pyXiSLCAth0mQvspw70Ri9IXNd0d16WpArjnAaJGZKq4VUllcjiZtmWgTBK8JZSN4WOmmEen-ZAc5hEfU5BGnoJl7gseDJP2bI4F1GWX9NBBux48oms50sS8M2dSOOQN_7tHMw0TkOuuHUYlxDDQkX5EJNV0hBhCaIU/w400-h303/PatandOs.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Øyvind invited us into his home, which is the only original remaining<br />building of the farm and dates back to the 1700's. He bought the property<br />in 1977 and raised a family there, earning his living with his art (and<br />with which he is still active).<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GxJNJh0JmcUEnpDRjqhOtclj5kGom8z_dPpjSyOBGlbrss9H85mwRJFTslJivRzK38ZG7C4SATw9HrRmwFKLlxtShaw7zkBX-DAr9S67oH8Z2bnpJfBByJMRszHIXegietiSpJohiaDFRlUP_5UbNRxYtlTrMInGT6tipQx8aVPiW0Senbwl9OupSfs/s2427/1888.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1739" data-original-width="2427" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GxJNJh0JmcUEnpDRjqhOtclj5kGom8z_dPpjSyOBGlbrss9H85mwRJFTslJivRzK38ZG7C4SATw9HrRmwFKLlxtShaw7zkBX-DAr9S67oH8Z2bnpJfBByJMRszHIXegietiSpJohiaDFRlUP_5UbNRxYtlTrMInGT6tipQx8aVPiW0Senbwl9OupSfs/w400-h286/1888.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In renovating the property, he stripped off the outer finish layers<br />in the living room, bringing it back to the original wood planks.<br />This uncovered "1888" painted on the wall and he kept it<br />as a piece of history. Whether it was painted by one of my relatives<br /> before they emigrated that year we'll never know,<br /> but it was fascinating to consider. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFQQfVMjYD7MJWs02LZVJCnvd_4gi7_3nSXu9oo73eOSmDiMQk9wxN1LbGNO9v7JiN4VmJoYqxrxWY-nC0j8SQEkkGNDl1ZqfV3K_YG56aJd8EYaVFilt-URRV6TRRs9rUhtgPquv-Nh9ZJmVE-u_Rk_C2wPFn7-qsnVzVAkh1L_Yd55fdFRIK9BNS44/s897/GGHouse-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="674" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFQQfVMjYD7MJWs02LZVJCnvd_4gi7_3nSXu9oo73eOSmDiMQk9wxN1LbGNO9v7JiN4VmJoYqxrxWY-nC0j8SQEkkGNDl1ZqfV3K_YG56aJd8EYaVFilt-URRV6TRRs9rUhtgPquv-Nh9ZJmVE-u_Rk_C2wPFn7-qsnVzVAkh1L_Yd55fdFRIK9BNS44/w480-h640/GGHouse-COLLAGE.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The exterior of the farmhouse. The small room at the far left was<br />added by Øyvind; the rest of the house's "footprint" is as it was when my<br />great-grandmother would have lived there.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3OtXYFntZvbHebmRAnO54UGLgu0pJlX7MdR-2xXON9L_LmPml3w__qMEPMA5710xC9l8eYFQ7DODrT99nq3IC65MKHo6h6OeT9UlSuFfdCRakAvnFjuP-ZZLMVlo4n2zMMiq_Ka-ShuqZPnqAj2PyHy64dKZg0A7GMD3EgawruYQi89RFgN-LdltIcc/s2624/silverdisplay.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1906" data-original-width="2624" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3OtXYFntZvbHebmRAnO54UGLgu0pJlX7MdR-2xXON9L_LmPml3w__qMEPMA5710xC9l8eYFQ7DODrT99nq3IC65MKHo6h6OeT9UlSuFfdCRakAvnFjuP-ZZLMVlo4n2zMMiq_Ka-ShuqZPnqAj2PyHy64dKZg0A7GMD3EgawruYQi89RFgN-LdltIcc/w400-h290/silverdisplay.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of Øyvind's handiwork on display and for sale in the <br />upper level of the log building.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkH_LXdYemqVxgfX3BclCSaPEnh5sg389bX5WMHLNS3gn5-2TTANM-vaa7wLT4qExD7ESy5lnO9EUjGKAiIUmUWv9QyU0V_42UT6OjjNR-MI_wQkZGNLZ92QBqSp-SNnlEYzWsL9llqHR5gbnpWEUpuBsVcM7b5ZEn6wwTZPFsP_JpzLMBpCp4FIa-pQ/s2441/lonanddog.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2441" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkH_LXdYemqVxgfX3BclCSaPEnh5sg389bX5WMHLNS3gn5-2TTANM-vaa7wLT4qExD7ESy5lnO9EUjGKAiIUmUWv9QyU0V_42UT6OjjNR-MI_wQkZGNLZ92QBqSp-SNnlEYzWsL9llqHR5gbnpWEUpuBsVcM7b5ZEn6wwTZPFsP_JpzLMBpCp4FIa-pQ/w323-h400/lonanddog.JPG" width="323" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon gives attention to the very appreciative resident dog.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqTkfnCZFfddXcOK1HIznTCzul17icUIqZ9iHUKETHNySZ4b6HyH13PGumnFTSiX43k-Alf6b4kJZV8II7PVzSLWGmgHcpN43hbxj_8SveuZn8FlFOkQ-16JyTu2uyOIxwyIeAKn4iHVEU3S98PjxbOTlnA2vRm9k8lGhAufVS4EiV_EOETt4XNFZy9Q/s1793/kitty.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="1793" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqTkfnCZFfddXcOK1HIznTCzul17icUIqZ9iHUKETHNySZ4b6HyH13PGumnFTSiX43k-Alf6b4kJZV8II7PVzSLWGmgHcpN43hbxj_8SveuZn8FlFOkQ-16JyTu2uyOIxwyIeAKn4iHVEU3S98PjxbOTlnA2vRm9k8lGhAufVS4EiV_EOETt4XNFZy9Q/w400-h296/kitty.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cat also loved attention.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzf0of7D72XLKz8Lu077VZmciGQoPy6CnDT_IqF8adegtIPpaYt9EDYqrxZ3esDspguy7bqAOyoU2Hh_gmzl_vfMzjortAq0W8W0hIoL8vZY-yjbB9ETsolzDW3PkA2IiVc-4n44rTd1gmeuIZHjNMXsEQwRqweWyTrGU4G5nR-YGhwxv1qPvoEheZ43g/s4072/LonandOs.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4072" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzf0of7D72XLKz8Lu077VZmciGQoPy6CnDT_IqF8adegtIPpaYt9EDYqrxZ3esDspguy7bqAOyoU2Hh_gmzl_vfMzjortAq0W8W0hIoL8vZY-yjbB9ETsolzDW3PkA2IiVc-4n44rTd1gmeuIZHjNMXsEQwRqweWyTrGU4G5nR-YGhwxv1qPvoEheZ43g/w300-h400/LonandOs.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Øyvind was quite a collector of antiques pertinent<br />to life in former times, and was happy to talk about<br />some of it with Lon and me.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrTtWy8xCxo4hmhdOrvtJEbhXFiyOagYBScd_1KgW-t8UeOlpGScQDzScu9L5QlrQO3Wimz3RlP-T4B35QYUiQrDcl-geoauHbQwpftxn5w0zPGS5WgVUnTl4gm1luHO-jWu4S5Pokrx06oIj1ekYNize_3NFvt4WkgEeOwpBuxvL2RN2fSA3za-U-4o/s2265/photo.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1878" data-original-width="2265" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrTtWy8xCxo4hmhdOrvtJEbhXFiyOagYBScd_1KgW-t8UeOlpGScQDzScu9L5QlrQO3Wimz3RlP-T4B35QYUiQrDcl-geoauHbQwpftxn5w0zPGS5WgVUnTl4gm1luHO-jWu4S5Pokrx06oIj1ekYNize_3NFvt4WkgEeOwpBuxvL2RN2fSA3za-U-4o/w400-h331/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An interesting photo from Øyvind's collection of curiosities. It was<br />taken by a man of some fame in Norway, Ole Tobias<br />
Olsen, a teacher and minister in the area, who became
known<br />
as the "father" of the railway between the
towns of<br />
Trondheim and Bodo (north of the Arctic Circle). Dated 1865-1875, <br />it shows Almlia--circled in blue. It would be fascinating to know<br />who the men in the photo were--relatives of mine, perhaps? </td></tr></tbody></table><br />Øyvind talked about having been visited by another relative of the family many years ago; an elderly man who spoke in old-fashioned Norwegian, but he didn't have a name to give us. Another topic was the WWII era, when the Germans established several concentration camps in the Dunderland Valley, filled mainly with Polish and Russian POWs who were forced to provide slave labor for building the Nordland railway line from Trondheim. Conditions were brutal and many perished. Several monuments have been installed in various locations in the region to commemorate these dead.<div><br /></div><div>All good things must come to an end, and we left Øyvind in late morning so that he could get back to his work. It was a very rewarding stop for me, and we were so grateful to him for his gracious welcome. As it was still early in the day, we decided to head for the Arctic Circle Center. We had already planned to cross the Arctic Circle by train on September 6 to finish our Norway trip in the town of Bodø, from where we would fly back to France. After all, we couldn't get this close and <i>not</i> cross the Arctic Circle. But the Center was only another 30 minutes drive from the farm, so why not?</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatFx4W8L0evQAlCpgpqzELc4v93RSXWZsiXvRQRloPVPh1bDoe0os3nI5pwO2seGtUU_RWK4wJprKsVraSAOdC9Xo-IGR1mth97cwsPVhzGiaCxG688MKIWRdPxoMazpt5Jny-ncDbcZLiw_AFlsqSZQZe71XbLTtVPaBs9GNdL-oThIsRUb2pGEU4z0/s2624/Lon%20ArcticCenter.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="2624" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatFx4W8L0evQAlCpgpqzELc4v93RSXWZsiXvRQRloPVPh1bDoe0os3nI5pwO2seGtUU_RWK4wJprKsVraSAOdC9Xo-IGR1mth97cwsPVhzGiaCxG688MKIWRdPxoMazpt5Jny-ncDbcZLiw_AFlsqSZQZe71XbLTtVPaBs9GNdL-oThIsRUb2pGEU4z0/w400-h236/Lon%20ArcticCenter.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Arctic Circle Center is in the mountains above the<br />tree line.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />When the Arctic Circle Center was built in 1990 it was believed to lie directly on the Arctic Circle, the latitude above which the sun never sets at the Summer Solstice and the sun never rises above the horizon at the Winter Solstice. However, while the latitude line marked "Arctic Circle" on a map doesn't change, the magnetic north pole is always changing, which in turn affects the actual location of the Arctic Circle. The "Circle" is, in fact, moving north by about 14 meters every year, so even though our visit to the Center didn't actually get us to the "true" Arctic Circle, we pretended it did for the sake of the day. Besides, we knew that our train trip the following day would get us another 90 km north, well beyond what was needed for an authentic Arctic Circle crossing.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziM132gHCMtEjsGsmo1ej6ctlAJZ_2B6ftETndiK47Rzo-UX_kiiG2A1c8GNVSF4LOTx6NIZpjsSjpwhILY2VVFWeUiMzL0aA3yRxsp7bWiKMpzYU2E42kaIL8K2b0dY5raJ3MqlRJWw3N6o7R7nN76VEBTSmqfHOIoQ5b2BSsDM9cxJbDujWSEtgwss/s1196/LonPatArctic-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1196" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziM132gHCMtEjsGsmo1ej6ctlAJZ_2B6ftETndiK47Rzo-UX_kiiG2A1c8GNVSF4LOTx6NIZpjsSjpwhILY2VVFWeUiMzL0aA3yRxsp7bWiKMpzYU2E42kaIL8K2b0dY5raJ3MqlRJWw3N6o7R7nN76VEBTSmqfHOIoQ5b2BSsDM9cxJbDujWSEtgwss/w400-h300/LonPatArctic-COLLAGE.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was <i>cold</i> at that altitude, but the "I crossed the Arctic<br />Circle" t-shirts in the gift shop made it all worthwhile.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YYCsr4cqSYcu7RGgwXjQycutTimLBpeKTn-ibqVHWJfMbs4cd1-5KBPyS33-_b8alpSXsj1VIiJTziAXXpoUaGyA2Qo2f3kF-3nmxhJBmJah6bl4NCotFy3S-Q_TYrdeC9COx6OOupeT_71-N8w0g7g-xbYm9Xfd2_Qe7Tjzm7N1V5KgRIRe_R7xrFE/s2624/ACStones.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1907" data-original-width="2624" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YYCsr4cqSYcu7RGgwXjQycutTimLBpeKTn-ibqVHWJfMbs4cd1-5KBPyS33-_b8alpSXsj1VIiJTziAXXpoUaGyA2Qo2f3kF-3nmxhJBmJah6bl4NCotFy3S-Q_TYrdeC9COx6OOupeT_71-N8w0g7g-xbYm9Xfd2_Qe7Tjzm7N1V5KgRIRe_R7xrFE/w400-h291/ACStones.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were hundreds of "stacked stones" in the vicinity of the<br />Center. I haven't found a good explanation for why--maybe<br />crossing the Arctic Circle is a spiritual experience for many<br /> who stop here.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnSMVyTxKVJ23PH5HJUBC_xkp7nRUb6NT4wiWOS4yfD-ZzdNvS_0U58psATwB_Ge5dKpiMb9n0E4pzQtT9atKJytg9hVh1ngaYvlrkYsicuruN3atjFpVISxkBJAECrgDw_ghZUDgEAipLVnRJTOme_0mYYwMJ9ACM__Z3iW_Cfzh3ZnEYm0mxXoQsaM/s4080/mountainfarm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2023" data-original-width="4080" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnSMVyTxKVJ23PH5HJUBC_xkp7nRUb6NT4wiWOS4yfD-ZzdNvS_0U58psATwB_Ge5dKpiMb9n0E4pzQtT9atKJytg9hVh1ngaYvlrkYsicuruN3atjFpVISxkBJAECrgDw_ghZUDgEAipLVnRJTOme_0mYYwMJ9ACM__Z3iW_Cfzh3ZnEYm0mxXoQsaM/w400-h199/mountainfarm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the return to Mo it was nice to get to a lower altitude.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruFMrpeESwHmH2frF9cEKMW0ATrrAMm9Su9iFWdIkjb7Di8TbYgKs31LqwnC_r6V4S9yU6dKD9VgQY9C4rx1Di1ivVNInh4ChMCDVGVhMANiSfXJKqwL5WikoIfNIeRw8Z_DCw9Yla6f-pclw54oxL8UhxIVXMOBMxcpzgM-CMI6Gw-cGAkeY6Q7YHCM/s1155/bimbo.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="1155" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruFMrpeESwHmH2frF9cEKMW0ATrrAMm9Su9iFWdIkjb7Di8TbYgKs31LqwnC_r6V4S9yU6dKD9VgQY9C4rx1Di1ivVNInh4ChMCDVGVhMANiSfXJKqwL5WikoIfNIeRw8Z_DCw9Yla6f-pclw54oxL8UhxIVXMOBMxcpzgM-CMI6Gw-cGAkeY6Q7YHCM/w400-h183/bimbo.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What I love about seeing foreign languages through "English"<br />eyes--I have to trust that the sign is referring to a place and<br />not a person.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Our train was scheduled to leave Mo i Rana around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, September 6. A 3-hour ride would get us to Bodø and leave us the afternoon to get a flavor of the city before flying out the next morning. At least that was the "plan" before "the perfect storm" came into play. Combine (1) a train not parked by the train station waiting area, (2) a second train arriving on the same track just a few minutes before our departure time and marked "Bodø" rather than with its true destination, and (3) the lack of useful and understandable announcements in English, and what did we end up with? A train that left for Bodø without us. To say we were not happy campers would be an understatement. We were just lucky that we didn't end up going to Trondheim on the 2nd train. The rail company was not forthcoming with a refund, so we had to purchase new tickets for the 2:30 p.m. train to Bodø. Cue Plan B: Rather than having time to explore Bodø, we reconfigured our day around Mo i Rana. We returned to our hotel, and they had no problem with us storing our luggage and using them as a base, both to wait for the rain to pass and for a walk around town. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXqcDTBIP53_NOrXjkVYDYdPbl_0OivYGakEaVIOzexHHnTKdS6QGbKhdb4U_4vAo0HLQwgTqy1uk4xfEWt0zW5dvsvuijNcHrN1F5d41EdkkUC-XcOd2jfHEBqcOpil549FHCjx7ZH4qVWglPlP1o72Xbr85rURXcTNeGnDPXDUYqx7jjK0HbbrcTi4/s2624/MoiRanaChurch.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1832" data-original-width="2624" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXqcDTBIP53_NOrXjkVYDYdPbl_0OivYGakEaVIOzexHHnTKdS6QGbKhdb4U_4vAo0HLQwgTqy1uk4xfEWt0zW5dvsvuijNcHrN1F5d41EdkkUC-XcOd2jfHEBqcOpil549FHCjx7ZH4qVWglPlP1o72Xbr85rURXcTNeGnDPXDUYqx7jjK0HbbrcTi4/w400-h279/MoiRanaChurch.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old Mo church, getting a facelift for its 300th anniversary<br />in 2024.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><div><br /></div></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7LaSBAlJbFRZ1RKnXhQb1xJ33R0Zf5C7QW6xb0wNkmfGYpmdDs7Mm9aJlH4z4KfNzu7zWwJunV_gUZrsOQc84VKgGdp8d0ogK2FqWaQMSpojtrNWKqUJLPacmEIfiM5GfsBIrUU_ANhxh18WR1jPFnpxEdm_18np9wZdMGDLCM_UvhR6jJjlHbH9wO8/s2356/memorialMo.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2356" data-original-width="1795" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7LaSBAlJbFRZ1RKnXhQb1xJ33R0Zf5C7QW6xb0wNkmfGYpmdDs7Mm9aJlH4z4KfNzu7zWwJunV_gUZrsOQc84VKgGdp8d0ogK2FqWaQMSpojtrNWKqUJLPacmEIfiM5GfsBIrUU_ANhxh18WR1jPFnpxEdm_18np9wZdMGDLCM_UvhR6jJjlHbH9wO8/w305-h400/memorialMo.JPG" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Russian Memorial at Mo Church. This<br />section of the graveyard also contains the graves<br />of 8 Commonwealth soldiers from the Scots <br />Guards, who died during the German invasion<br />of Norway in Spring 1940.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQAdrNRLVLzo4-6vqmodyqOg5nwPwcje5dkSFdu7135Z_19PxmtfrK8Fs18ux7PUfmshY4F0YgJQXgfiZMTdTU_mTgupTPgv4Ym4zeLUSCJcu3aK0ciNoktIcnu7WODPSij_vYByxb4LSVkqPUZwzLVyvKq-GZf68Vh-OBAyn4Ruw0S9kPjvbplQ5oa0/s2624/PatandMIRPhotog.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1762" data-original-width="2624" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQAdrNRLVLzo4-6vqmodyqOg5nwPwcje5dkSFdu7135Z_19PxmtfrK8Fs18ux7PUfmshY4F0YgJQXgfiZMTdTU_mTgupTPgv4Ym4zeLUSCJcu3aK0ciNoktIcnu7WODPSij_vYByxb4LSVkqPUZwzLVyvKq-GZf68Vh-OBAyn4Ruw0S9kPjvbplQ5oa0/w400-h269/PatandMIRPhotog.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We met "Stig" when we were trying to find a way into the <br />church. He was a local photographer who had been hired to <br />take some interior shots. He couldn't get the entry system to<br />work, but we did spend some minutes having a nice conversation<br />with him about Mo and seeking family history in Norway.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_JnQl_KOI2jDfusOmA06yI0o5rvYgBnoAXrh8U-bFSG0PAjggbvIwpdv7JD6FFJ6biyldPB4XQMDls6OdsCSxmGE3wP06GNy45Jck_u9BK0htajIp4wXbGGcXupilh28YpdkXpONgKmstORwEcMmvGPfJciTsWcJCf8aTPRWNe6BL_rzRHqa2_lqANA/s2624/freezing%20at%20waterfront.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1533" data-original-width="2624" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_JnQl_KOI2jDfusOmA06yI0o5rvYgBnoAXrh8U-bFSG0PAjggbvIwpdv7JD6FFJ6biyldPB4XQMDls6OdsCSxmGE3wP06GNy45Jck_u9BK0htajIp4wXbGGcXupilh28YpdkXpONgKmstORwEcMmvGPfJciTsWcJCf8aTPRWNe6BL_rzRHqa2_lqANA/w400-h234/freezing%20at%20waterfront.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freezing on the waterfront.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR22-gPIp_mhFgNoFLZsrB5ChE7x0sGxIc8Nt-MSDvTnGudLXv3_GzcZLUJzBZ65_wS3hF7mrV_qtzOAE8frmjmfHXaKWCNChcjzXNwZB7DW6OiNT30_jVhCJX3_FJSp9-bcSj1ygo-p-qFngh9LkjWUCzaoJ966JbXlhKNto6NyER0Z-mE_7thsAs4sA/s2624/MIRwaterfront.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1139" data-original-width="2624" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR22-gPIp_mhFgNoFLZsrB5ChE7x0sGxIc8Nt-MSDvTnGudLXv3_GzcZLUJzBZ65_wS3hF7mrV_qtzOAE8frmjmfHXaKWCNChcjzXNwZB7DW6OiNT30_jVhCJX3_FJSp9-bcSj1ygo-p-qFngh9LkjWUCzaoJ966JbXlhKNto6NyER0Z-mE_7thsAs4sA/w400-h174/MIRwaterfront.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View toward the Molhomen neighborhood, where Mo<br />originally centered. We spent some time at the Rana Museum there.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCD65KTeteZzO0lhEcbRyJ4VieoZan_GFvUrqbZCQb9jW8hAnink10ST2ouWhTyPKBmPkBzNe5WhPca62kG1U8TJa9ofZul2VEmShpnzQiBugyKcVRU4kNrAjQ8nybPZD9F8-EWD2PdiirYBs9ko9sl4v8qKNuO2wlz4X0SZW1OQiUcqnIVjCv2ZiCE8/s2624/OldMIRneighborhood.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1455" data-original-width="2624" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCD65KTeteZzO0lhEcbRyJ4VieoZan_GFvUrqbZCQb9jW8hAnink10ST2ouWhTyPKBmPkBzNe5WhPca62kG1U8TJa9ofZul2VEmShpnzQiBugyKcVRU4kNrAjQ8nybPZD9F8-EWD2PdiirYBs9ko9sl4v8qKNuO2wlz4X0SZW1OQiUcqnIVjCv2ZiCE8/w400-h221/OldMIRneighborhood.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old, but restored, houses in Molhomen.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>We caught the 2:30 p.m. train without problems, officially crossed the Arctic Circle--and beyond--and enjoyed the always-beautiful mountain and water scenery before pulling into Bodø a little before 6 p.m. Our impression of the town as we walked to the hotel was one of modernity. It has been named as one of three European Capitals of Culture for 2024 and the opening ceremony in February will be held outdoors--I think we'll have to pass on attending that. We were sorry that we didn't get a chance to explore even a little bit of the town, but such is life. The next morning we were on an early flight from Bodø to Bergen and from there to Paris. With smooth train connections we were back on the boat by 7 p.m., where the congenial New Zealanders (and one American) in the boat rafted to C.A.R.I.B. took pity on us and invited us to share dinner with them that evening. Several very hot days later it is finally cooling down and feeling more like fall. <div><br /></div><div>Norway impressed us--with its beautiful landscapes, interesting towns, friendly people with an excellent command of English, and the most amazing breakfast buffets we have ever seen. The highlight, though, was the visit to the Almlia farm. We've always found something special in making those family connections. The Floridian in us thinks it's best not to talk about the weather.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, though, it's time to shift gears for our final three weeks in France. We're already working on some small boat projects, and this weekend Auxerre will be a lively place to be, as the European Heritage Days overlap with the 800th commemoration of the "emancipation" of the city to a more representative government. Cue the medieval festival!</div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-59548002058895682852023-09-11T10:30:00.000-07:002023-12-28T06:40:23.952-08:00Norway #2: Slow Travel, a.k.a. Boat Time<p>We left Bergen on the evening of September 1 aboard the motor vessel "Kong Harald" (King Harold), one of the coastal ferries of the Hurtigruten company. In considering that we needed to, at a minimum, get from Bergen to Mo i Rana, I had looked at various options of "planes, trains, and automobiles," and yes, boats, to accomplish that. We wanted to see the coastal landscape, and not being particularly interested in having to concentrate on driving, we discarded the ideas of flying and car rental. We finally settled on a Hurtigruten package that would give us one hotel night in Bergen, two nights on a coastal cruise from Bergen to the city of Trondheim, and a hotel night in Trondheim. From there the Nordland train line could be booked to Mo i Rana.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oF-Ac12OdlAwJ89I0eqFe2Dnx1y8wZ6kWtQEt52ZV7ojKGo1WWHaLOOKTvwYqArs0XFvuGJQ1msv2Gi2Yq59tRxpfu-PaMSg4ZQcOgGSlbgkFfWshm1Nf-Eusiog0_thFLtDiG1CHNQdbcg2eM0Yc-mHK4Ys5jyhs3PUYzxfWXybK_r6j2GSfe4gSg8/s1968/KongHaraldBergen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1968" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oF-Ac12OdlAwJ89I0eqFe2Dnx1y8wZ6kWtQEt52ZV7ojKGo1WWHaLOOKTvwYqArs0XFvuGJQ1msv2Gi2Yq59tRxpfu-PaMSg4ZQcOgGSlbgkFfWshm1Nf-Eusiog0_thFLtDiG1CHNQdbcg2eM0Yc-mHK4Ys5jyhs3PUYzxfWXybK_r6j2GSfe4gSg8/w400-h244/KongHaraldBergen.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Kong Harald awaiting its passengers in Bergen.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Departure from Bergen was at twilight, so it wasn't very long before the coast was swallowed by darkness. Not being quite ready to return to our small cabin with its twin beds and up-close view out the window of a lifeboat, we settled into some comfortable chairs in the main lounge for reading and web surfing.<div><br /></div><div>Cruising aboard a Hurtigruten coastal ship is a hybrid experience--yes, the boats have passenger cabins, and lounges, and a dining room or two, but they also carry freight--and sometimes local passengers--between stops along the coast. Most of the stops are no more than 10 or 15 minutes (some of which occur during the wee hours of the morning), but some stops are two or three hours long to allow passengers sightseeing opportunities, either via expeditions booked with Hurtigruten or independently. These are not boats with thousands of passengers, casinos, or nightclub-like entertainment. That was a "plus" as far as we were concerned, as we're not fans of cruising on the big passenger ships.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-LXGA2pQIpetEG_4Vl__b-AOrLFu2eHGDg62cgCC_efK2FqfyEzq06PgzTiCZfdLdS4UkcTiNo8yGT0xTYJB-NM9q2q_2EqrKe2hL_5jpObD1M7SutP0LZ6aQqrgCg5V4H4cvIZ5btx9Xz1setI6qTGDTJtOB_snqdYYoM7rUc9Ia8lunqgtGtB3UQ8/s2535/docking.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2535" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-LXGA2pQIpetEG_4Vl__b-AOrLFu2eHGDg62cgCC_efK2FqfyEzq06PgzTiCZfdLdS4UkcTiNo8yGT0xTYJB-NM9q2q_2EqrKe2hL_5jpObD1M7SutP0LZ6aQqrgCg5V4H4cvIZ5btx9Xz1setI6qTGDTJtOB_snqdYYoM7rUc9Ia8lunqgtGtB3UQ8/w310-h400/docking.JPG" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming in for a brief stop.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We had the morning of September 2 to enjoy cruising by the mountainous terrain, which included a "side trip" down the Hjørundfjord, a 22-mile long body of water surrounded by the steep mountains of the Sunnamøre Alps. The mountains are so steep that there isn't much room for farms or villages, although a few have managed to plant themselves near the water's edge. At midday we reached our first extended stop of the day, an anchorage near the village of Urke. We passed on the organized tours and simply took a tender ashore for a walk around the village.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Mu0-2ciAB0FdSIYtGLOmnrDvb4BhXRIt8oRG1p_elueZb5VDimW5jAOpg6uRLnRB4QpOdobZM4WdVubYzQVz4V21AktKt5UGF8z2OiVvdw3yDke_Si6WKZ2cJAElroOhvwCJ6fenkMH4VE8_JUE_ip5LHWRII3PWBipmMRUeA3aDPSw66DnnZspi-gc/s1968/backDeck.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1861" data-original-width="1968" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Mu0-2ciAB0FdSIYtGLOmnrDvb4BhXRIt8oRG1p_elueZb5VDimW5jAOpg6uRLnRB4QpOdobZM4WdVubYzQVz4V21AktKt5UGF8z2OiVvdw3yDke_Si6WKZ2cJAElroOhvwCJ6fenkMH4VE8_JUE_ip5LHWRII3PWBipmMRUeA3aDPSw66DnnZspi-gc/w400-h379/backDeck.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back deck had decent views, but it could get a bit windy<br />and cold.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekxS-yQdqK_7gpDPLvuB1Lg_st7B--JtOmwXpreMgiD5PUkf5wqpab93XDFCSEYXagtIGcJiU0cA20StjnPqSk9MeBH2I14APqs_zL1bX-9aU3J9khqsaQRZl8TEyFMrcISopBQXh8uiC7GFS3G2Tv5-rBXVpFhZwdGqSeaWZMwORPms7LxHp5GbYrBY/s2624/localFerryBoat.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1549" data-original-width="2624" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekxS-yQdqK_7gpDPLvuB1Lg_st7B--JtOmwXpreMgiD5PUkf5wqpab93XDFCSEYXagtIGcJiU0cA20StjnPqSk9MeBH2I14APqs_zL1bX-9aU3J9khqsaQRZl8TEyFMrcISopBQXh8uiC7GFS3G2Tv5-rBXVpFhZwdGqSeaWZMwORPms7LxHp5GbYrBY/w640-h378/localFerryBoat.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ferries are a common sight. For some of the villages, they are the only way in and out.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9SjAgJoMIYfk4utT4uq44izPzi0aLx6QqtbVan9mdOh6Vzp_QLP0KTqRwF8vZ-oOLkIpLSHnGXtC5QQp_vGJgEE8xJHYivA0ByzLnzaa4kVbCgz17dVBfqUZh0sEoPOhaXVfjazpnCm65yxmqvDUKhtN64AdFRCKutw68m_9x_UOPOSlYbiHir3tl6U/s2624/LononDeck.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1948" data-original-width="2624" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9SjAgJoMIYfk4utT4uq44izPzi0aLx6QqtbVan9mdOh6Vzp_QLP0KTqRwF8vZ-oOLkIpLSHnGXtC5QQp_vGJgEE8xJHYivA0ByzLnzaa4kVbCgz17dVBfqUZh0sEoPOhaXVfjazpnCm65yxmqvDUKhtN64AdFRCKutw68m_9x_UOPOSlYbiHir3tl6U/w400-h297/LononDeck.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warm coat--check. Gloves--check. The clouds were coming<br />and going, and when they were present it was rather brisk<br />being out on deck.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwOG9D6DIJr_PqBThY6w8OWiXIOFGlXpAqvc1782-yCO4alrzXsD6lU8T_ORl0GJvY3cUdQQfItuoM41-ABGNblxpIvaVTFjDUZZPKF0ErxvQV3pVMeoU6QXJZLxxPrX73GTuviQ6VCsOUG-RKNJ9GXm4DlRN5IUhdr3hMfonVBUzgdlZXMShQKXEAyI/s4000/ViewFRomBoat.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2759" data-original-width="4000" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwOG9D6DIJr_PqBThY6w8OWiXIOFGlXpAqvc1782-yCO4alrzXsD6lU8T_ORl0GJvY3cUdQQfItuoM41-ABGNblxpIvaVTFjDUZZPKF0ErxvQV3pVMeoU6QXJZLxxPrX73GTuviQ6VCsOUG-RKNJ9GXm4DlRN5IUhdr3hMfonVBUzgdlZXMShQKXEAyI/w400-h276/ViewFRomBoat.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Things took on a whole new look when the sun was out. Up<br />to this point our good fortune with the weather was holding.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKkp2z-R4ldc2EuaLOTeTQceOhcuxcgBRVu653_nkqVPy6hDbwhXEhqGMQ3pO5b-z_n2jObB9z09kDk6_-s5YZbAMobsJTGYxb7asnb1sefrqaK-c6cn5FmSMBFCk0yCjIb14yBST8q7hgFe0VIA_RXBS5rpNAywcHmwzWSuqnUfafd61pvhd47EmP8k/s2624/urke3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1681" data-original-width="2624" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKkp2z-R4ldc2EuaLOTeTQceOhcuxcgBRVu653_nkqVPy6hDbwhXEhqGMQ3pO5b-z_n2jObB9z09kDk6_-s5YZbAMobsJTGYxb7asnb1sefrqaK-c6cn5FmSMBFCk0yCjIb14yBST8q7hgFe0VIA_RXBS5rpNAywcHmwzWSuqnUfafd61pvhd47EmP8k/w400-h256/urke3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A public building in Urke with a traditional sod roof. The roofs<br />were actually constructed with watertight birch bark, and the sod<br />holds the birch bark in place. It was a common type of roof in<br />rural Norway and elsewhere in Scandinavia until the late 19th century.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUE7lg9A8TUZbD9lIbhtRnBD-g-SBbtobZx4PQN5_Tw9SfPGkFqWg1DleTaAiP1m1vygMUUYpbJFV9ncDLfQSBkq1IAx9mFS2y-JcTG3VGDGvLlbLfgcPKaVw2GtNdTm6PUK9TBIfKudNLQUptsN9P8makm0IkbfYC4S6wI7U8BgDsfSsG2fNke3ZNFE/s2624/urke2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1680" data-original-width="2624" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUE7lg9A8TUZbD9lIbhtRnBD-g-SBbtobZx4PQN5_Tw9SfPGkFqWg1DleTaAiP1m1vygMUUYpbJFV9ncDLfQSBkq1IAx9mFS2y-JcTG3VGDGvLlbLfgcPKaVw2GtNdTm6PUK9TBIfKudNLQUptsN9P8makm0IkbfYC4S6wI7U8BgDsfSsG2fNke3ZNFE/w400-h256/urke2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking toward "downtown" Urke.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkVTUAwuuQQjRWL7rQkEsqJkkrFd37uy3-iuJOu1PE-Jwv3Oresq2D4PhiAf115HtXxtGFBvMaBOGovNQBfCkjs2mf45Zq13d3KlvA32FaxQEiYMzfvoOjWDtQDmwp5HVpLYsHOU3iruavTW1nd7gLmps9ArzHQnKogIWEpkVOF3mXOWQEM-Cs3tMDwMU/s2624/Urke1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="2624" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkVTUAwuuQQjRWL7rQkEsqJkkrFd37uy3-iuJOu1PE-Jwv3Oresq2D4PhiAf115HtXxtGFBvMaBOGovNQBfCkjs2mf45Zq13d3KlvA32FaxQEiYMzfvoOjWDtQDmwp5HVpLYsHOU3iruavTW1nd7gLmps9ArzHQnKogIWEpkVOF3mXOWQEM-Cs3tMDwMU/w640-h374/Urke1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was some flat area for grass and possible agriculture, but not much.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHsvIlvhYHK1oitAaichbTHYpwekebwt9KQX2oa1U51wxzuSF0bdVTVWizJvtJDWOkiu9JFOHYDJf8n5CoXf6Yyf1voo--7Ij8xg4i7Px2VaHjB1BRQX2VRiB527yjcbbp0XXdnfU7Ox1MzYhoeIGNNfw23Jvsy-9KopL1gUoqWzJMhQDXrfJopOutdQ/s2566/boatanchored3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1937" data-original-width="2566" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHsvIlvhYHK1oitAaichbTHYpwekebwt9KQX2oa1U51wxzuSF0bdVTVWizJvtJDWOkiu9JFOHYDJf8n5CoXf6Yyf1voo--7Ij8xg4i7Px2VaHjB1BRQX2VRiB527yjcbbp0XXdnfU7Ox1MzYhoeIGNNfw23Jvsy-9KopL1gUoqWzJMhQDXrfJopOutdQ/w400-h303/boatanchored3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Kong Harald at anchor; surprisingly, the recreational boats in the<br />local marina were not being used on a nice Saturday.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Zt_xCofd-8au_V-mLMi-EQDq3dfyoj2dOaJPKJ5D6yKVnB2oKfP_fJQX8b8fqOQ-q59eOn0pDifzcZyqxopE0l8JyDsNQPrL6EAYjOHG6wXUE4Sw4yxzznZiTL8JXLns5PDzP2CgESWv8i856PIo1t8hAxJb5XYaufcCtT8RLJHvffS3IfbnZiMqWB4/s2379/isolated.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2379" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Zt_xCofd-8au_V-mLMi-EQDq3dfyoj2dOaJPKJ5D6yKVnB2oKfP_fJQX8b8fqOQ-q59eOn0pDifzcZyqxopE0l8JyDsNQPrL6EAYjOHG6wXUE4Sw4yxzznZiTL8JXLns5PDzP2CgESWv8i856PIo1t8hAxJb5XYaufcCtT8RLJHvffS3IfbnZiMqWB4/w331-h400/isolated.JPG" width="331" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you say "isolated"?<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>After a 3-1/2 hour stop we backtracked out of the Hjørundfjord and at 6 p.m. arrived at our second extended stop of the day, the port town of Alesund. It benefits from being close to some of Norway's most spectacular fjords, but its main claim to fame is its Art Nouveau architecture. Most of the town had to be rebuilt after being devastated by fire (of course) in 1904. Funded by German Emperor Wilhelm II, who had spent many vacations in Alesund, German craftsman and architects rebuilt the city in stone and brick within a space of three years. It is claimed by some to be "the most beautiful town in Norway", but that's a conclusion that I will leave to those who have seen more of Norway than I have. We only had two hours to see what we could of Alesund, so we started by climbing 418 steps (plus some additional steps and steeply graded sections of path and road) to the top of the hill known as Askla for a viewpoint over the town.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdencDObmnEAQrSniJLi6IK42iARxWWgd5ADG83-v-JADTaEse0JYmVoN0hv311oWetgSwbHk-SRhzs5nrLJ8gQjEWWi4nWrhbm_VM_Cj94A00d2ECjmAowqX1BAXnCfExAIH_wP4I9koOvGIzU8lS9Mb7wQbw3BW6jLm3vmDJBPfdbXtcOIFLB6Jo28/s2624/alesundstairs.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1713" data-original-width="2624" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdencDObmnEAQrSniJLi6IK42iARxWWgd5ADG83-v-JADTaEse0JYmVoN0hv311oWetgSwbHk-SRhzs5nrLJ8gQjEWWi4nWrhbm_VM_Cj94A00d2ECjmAowqX1BAXnCfExAIH_wP4I9koOvGIzU8lS9Mb7wQbw3BW6jLm3vmDJBPfdbXtcOIFLB6Jo28/w400-h261/alesundstairs.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down on part of the climb. The builders of the stairs<br />were nice enough to occasionally insert a number to let us know<br />where we were with respect to the 418 stairs. It gave us hope.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFrbwtf8qih-z4tPp2JGTQudmw5wGRvAgzOMWmJnUqbVCr_s3sFn0dSso4TAAg2B6xj_UQJRSs8tgxwHO3_3bJIurq5cZo4hkJDu9f7vSmSVsLkGXiKUAeC9bod6VkhLdJMkodHK4nF6oGKl1owYU1sUj0f3ssbUMpXYKAnpqJLlp_AcZhd2U2WXKXGs/s3654/ClimbingAlesund.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3654" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFrbwtf8qih-z4tPp2JGTQudmw5wGRvAgzOMWmJnUqbVCr_s3sFn0dSso4TAAg2B6xj_UQJRSs8tgxwHO3_3bJIurq5cZo4hkJDu9f7vSmSVsLkGXiKUAeC9bod6VkhLdJMkodHK4nF6oGKl1owYU1sUj0f3ssbUMpXYKAnpqJLlp_AcZhd2U2WXKXGs/w329-h400/ClimbingAlesund.jpg" width="329" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was quite a spectacular view of the Alesund peninsula,<br />even while I was still heading for the top of the hill.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPVWZQJiauhRJFbQ392Sicmx4vt37wctccNuQEUZ5zcXuVW_BxiS7pG3xclCLB6LVnfUXSfP7suJTaFuMXbRl01IWefeBIsFbfQAHorRdku3jS9dPZWlqCufjWSBm9hHdw0JNdfV_6AuoC9cMsxjV4iCYdRMxisknNy3N7qB_tCKMuCMHVWQWPrCQvOc/s2191/Lononalesundoverlook.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2191" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPVWZQJiauhRJFbQ392Sicmx4vt37wctccNuQEUZ5zcXuVW_BxiS7pG3xclCLB6LVnfUXSfP7suJTaFuMXbRl01IWefeBIsFbfQAHorRdku3jS9dPZWlqCufjWSBm9hHdw0JNdfV_6AuoC9cMsxjV4iCYdRMxisknNy3N7qB_tCKMuCMHVWQWPrCQvOc/w359-h400/Lononalesundoverlook.JPG" width="359" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon is standing on an overlook that extends over the<br />hillside below it. The overlook was at about the halfway<br />point of the ascent.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The view of the town was actually better a bit down the hill than it was from the top of the hill, where the vegetation was somewhat overgrown. What <i>was</i> interesting on the hilltop were the remains of some German bunkers from WWII, consisting of a portion of a battalion headquarters bunker and supporting bunkers, including a kitchen bunker.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHFVv8f2UkAopK_5e3JaKAdqTX_1b7rsKzoWlppFXRMdePuxvP6QZ004uNccxHfxMnr7Dkr8ohU9qxjIWPGJxNzeMYTYMZjiwxoSYRoGzUZjN_zURCjBZB1NV8Yjpj_BI0sSpmLigvpJG9EtxIaUTygzcZqdBH4hiihF9uRYaCLFrf-WmwA4twfia8ngU/s2624/P1060165.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHFVv8f2UkAopK_5e3JaKAdqTX_1b7rsKzoWlppFXRMdePuxvP6QZ004uNccxHfxMnr7Dkr8ohU9qxjIWPGJxNzeMYTYMZjiwxoSYRoGzUZjN_zURCjBZB1NV8Yjpj_BI0sSpmLigvpJG9EtxIaUTygzcZqdBH4hiihF9uRYaCLFrf-WmwA4twfia8ngU/w400-h300/P1060165.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bunkers were accessible to entry, but we didn't have<br />the time for that kind of exploration.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Funny thing, but our climb back down the steps didn't seem to take nearly as long as the climb up. We still had a bit of time before Kong Harald would leave without us, so we set off at a fast pace to walk to the central part of town for an impression of the architecture from ground level. Nice buildings, clean, very quiet, but it didn't necessarily say "most beautiful town" to me. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4Hh7oNRh4oGE7C3o_SR-oJw3gqSg7hAePRwz-hEniFCORADcMPWT59K7uhoECwV23xBS3-ekus3yAME6jazJ3f9M7F9ttxM7m_1gCG_W5F8EeAAzXNpjXulI3h4V6dOQAoID4rCFLIdE6wXIi7Kf6BesH_gtrYhRY5q4CmusFyK6BNC_mGqMHhi741o/s5472/alesundharborpanorama.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1809" data-original-width="5472" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4Hh7oNRh4oGE7C3o_SR-oJw3gqSg7hAePRwz-hEniFCORADcMPWT59K7uhoECwV23xBS3-ekus3yAME6jazJ3f9M7F9ttxM7m_1gCG_W5F8EeAAzXNpjXulI3h4V6dOQAoID4rCFLIdE6wXIi7Kf6BesH_gtrYhRY5q4CmusFyK6BNC_mGqMHhi741o/w640-h212/alesundharborpanorama.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down the canal from the canal bridge.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>While walking we encountered some fellow Hurtigruten passengers from Edina, Minnesota. We were having a nice chat as we strolled the town streets when our weather luck ran out. A few drops prompted us to turn around and start back, and then it started raining much more heavily. Our walk-run couldn't prevent us from being soaked by the time we reboarded the boat. The rain continued into the night hours, and it was raining when we woke up the next day.</div><div><br /></div><div>On September 3 we were scheduled to leave the boat when it docked at 9:45 a.m. in the city of Trondheim. We had to check out of our room by 8 a.m., which was a little annoying, but only a little.</div><div><br /></div><div>We both felt a bit relieved when we disembarked from the boat to try for an early check-in at our Trondheim hotel (which was successful, thank you Clarion!) It appears that we really are not cut out for the cruise ship life. There was certainly nothing wrong with the ship--it was clean, the food was good, and the staff was friendly. However, the whole concept is just too structured for the way we like to travel, and we felt like a captive audience with too many other people around. After a couple of hours in the hotel waiting for the rain to stop, we were ready to see what we could of Trondheim in the remaining hours of the day.</div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-23625467243207170182023-09-09T08:57:00.001-07:002023-12-23T08:45:41.612-08:00Norway #1: A Tale of Two Cities<p>When we set out for our Norwegian "vacation" on August 27, we had very few preconceived ideas about what we were going to encounter when we got to Norway. My family background is heavily Scandinavian--mostly Norwegian--and Lon has some Norwegian ancestry on his mom's side, so one of our major travel goals was to have at least one "close encounter of the family kind". That would turn out to be a visit to the farm where a great-grandmother on my mom's side of the family tree was born and raised. Had either of us wanted to spend more time in research we could probably have tracked down more family heritage sites, but this particular ancestor was the easiest option, as other family members had already done the research and identified the farm. The added bonus was that the farm would be relatively easy to get to using mostly public transportation. </p><p>The rest of the travel itinerary was built around how we wanted to get to Mo i Rana (the town closest to the former family home) and what we could see and do along the way. </p><p>First stop, Oslo, the capitol city of Norway, located on its south coast. It was founded as a city at the end of the Viking Age in 1040, so it's quite an old city, but it currently displays such a modern face that, to us, it didn't feel nearly as old as many of the towns in France of similar age. Blame it, at least in part, on the fact that many of the city's buildings have historically been built of wood. Fourteen fires between Oslo's founding and 1624--when the fire lasted for three days--decimated the city. After the conflagration in 1624, King Christian IV (who jointly ruled Denmark and Norway in those days) ordered the city to be rebuilt closer to Akershus Castle across the bay. Oh, and no ego involved or anything, but he also ordered that the city be renamed "Christiania".</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVhpnOx23zO5X8-vbGYWQShp9mHViI9UkxI9gSc_VmSpo2TIBEyFiTd3uWrqKxi68QVe2Z8G1iH7cAcaJWlxTff9ouiFj0oKT9k_esKBGOrJRiMFwSPJgnSm5XdBZdaVIO7KHpB7JcsrW-BnprzzOVMAtjrIBA7aoBPFwWN0IGh7izqQGGFrlvlYNQmU/s2624/StMarysChurch.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="2624" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVhpnOx23zO5X8-vbGYWQShp9mHViI9UkxI9gSc_VmSpo2TIBEyFiTd3uWrqKxi68QVe2Z8G1iH7cAcaJWlxTff9ouiFj0oKT9k_esKBGOrJRiMFwSPJgnSm5XdBZdaVIO7KHpB7JcsrW-BnprzzOVMAtjrIBA7aoBPFwWN0IGh7izqQGGFrlvlYNQmU/w400-h198/StMarysChurch.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All that remains of St. Mary's Church, former royal chapel during the<br />Middle Ages. Former burial site of King Haakon V and his Queen, it was set<br />on fire in 1523 during the Swedish war of independence, deemed<br />unrepairable after the Protestant Reformation, and demolished in 1542.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4GkLR0uS5b6xxl3waBD0SVod5RSGRFb-m8wKVqofl1b9UW2ahpux_kTzmvo9q_CQHcowYvhGgGzQjZCWlIIqvw3_QN4RHe_k-aLEfySGM08bF4e7oDQGYG0-fehmdK_zNyFEmpe_fPASOZJ90xTm9lA4D_CCgXozfhE20PX-2cLQPs59kwqQ55OWpqg/s2624/Akershus%20Festnung.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="2624" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4GkLR0uS5b6xxl3waBD0SVod5RSGRFb-m8wKVqofl1b9UW2ahpux_kTzmvo9q_CQHcowYvhGgGzQjZCWlIIqvw3_QN4RHe_k-aLEfySGM08bF4e7oDQGYG0-fehmdK_zNyFEmpe_fPASOZJ90xTm9lA4D_CCgXozfhE20PX-2cLQPs59kwqQ55OWpqg/w640-h245/Akershus%20Festnung.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching Akershus Fortress, brought into service around 1300. Often besieged, it was the official<br />royal residence for several decades in the Middle Ages. It is currently the site of several museums and<br />a royal mausoleum, and still maintains a Norwegian military presence.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4GkLR0uS5b6xxl3waBD0SVod5RSGRFb-m8wKVqofl1b9UW2ahpux_kTzmvo9q_CQHcowYvhGgGzQjZCWlIIqvw3_QN4RHe_k-aLEfySGM08bF4e7oDQGYG0-fehmdK_zNyFEmpe_fPASOZJ90xTm9lA4D_CCgXozfhE20PX-2cLQPs59kwqQ55OWpqg/s2624/Akershus%20Festnung.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5q-Cw_XG2M3rZjP2D7c1uyacZaYraqOUJXK7wvZM9MBUFqrvnPBnzFMTe7YBXKbmUu6ULemd-74LrMF_cM8ItR84wl6-LreytHtt5Hjhnrrjesv4eUalVUGTRjF577RgcgwWLjF0UtxYKuIg7FU35SdQm9dZSVv8c2ztlkWKn1J6iwhH39NsPFr9N57A/s2056/Fortress%20Interior.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1760" data-original-width="2056" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5q-Cw_XG2M3rZjP2D7c1uyacZaYraqOUJXK7wvZM9MBUFqrvnPBnzFMTe7YBXKbmUu6ULemd-74LrMF_cM8ItR84wl6-LreytHtt5Hjhnrrjesv4eUalVUGTRjF577RgcgwWLjF0UtxYKuIg7FU35SdQm9dZSVv8c2ztlkWKn1J6iwhH39NsPFr9N57A/w400-h343/Fortress%20Interior.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The castle courtyard. Many of the visible structures are later<br />Renaissance-era additions.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NgxcWhLC1QBmt22qlXwgwA2qttzlTIT9c37AYqz4bnBDoRRa2hIkmYFgaI1jCanpD1DyYF0EmCZG5NqT0niisUn3i4AuEHPm-F1sBjx-J-lhys0Hd-xOQvsvDHQz0Z08xHKZ-rZTiUa_8XmLbf0y0rXlNYSaKsA7nWZ4wHyXz89c745daMUZ0dnZz8U/s3920/FortressView.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="3920" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NgxcWhLC1QBmt22qlXwgwA2qttzlTIT9c37AYqz4bnBDoRRa2hIkmYFgaI1jCanpD1DyYF0EmCZG5NqT0niisUn3i4AuEHPm-F1sBjx-J-lhys0Hd-xOQvsvDHQz0Z08xHKZ-rZTiUa_8XmLbf0y0rXlNYSaKsA7nWZ4wHyXz89c745daMUZ0dnZz8U/w640-h314/FortressView.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View over the harbor from one of the fortress walls.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgXw4OhU82Kk1jnm6an-Go_lfxPwl_TryWFTxwB-9orJfPUW_vUluViW3OdNebNQnzubIdvxbFt3ksNVKXjPaEv6uoFJZ--VtLdVnTwdRNncfBtCzlOLIFKcu65ZTh4N9Y_ou51hxlH9KHAPr0GbHeIh2UlGd51nM0JndGDN0T3TuPz0WsuMPGeQ-cgE/s2624/P1050714.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgXw4OhU82Kk1jnm6an-Go_lfxPwl_TryWFTxwB-9orJfPUW_vUluViW3OdNebNQnzubIdvxbFt3ksNVKXjPaEv6uoFJZ--VtLdVnTwdRNncfBtCzlOLIFKcu65ZTh4N9Y_ou51hxlH9KHAPr0GbHeIh2UlGd51nM0JndGDN0T3TuPz0WsuMPGeQ-cgE/w400-h300/P1050714.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not quite as old as the fortress, the Oslo Cathedral--previously<br />known as "Our Savior's Church"--was consecrated in 1697. It is<br />the parish church for downtown Oslo and is used for weddings and<br />funerals by the Norwegian royal family and the Norwegian government.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>And some buildings from the 1800's:</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHav_eBodBc2xcheVr1MJ7kYjPieQOvqXsco5UdPNrZMJ2yeC8-04ISJjx1kggx8eUWjXQ32mz7d19riOMoCDgWuvp5DShlrzsITYm55zOpttr5vup_M4D5T6HvWBG2vqh9BGlpL6gVKxFRZdiz56wUKJ8xL_B66-nq604lMFI7aRMpHemrUPlCS8FsnQ/s2494/GrandHotel.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2494" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHav_eBodBc2xcheVr1MJ7kYjPieQOvqXsco5UdPNrZMJ2yeC8-04ISJjx1kggx8eUWjXQ32mz7d19riOMoCDgWuvp5DShlrzsITYm55zOpttr5vup_M4D5T6HvWBG2vqh9BGlpL6gVKxFRZdiz56wUKJ8xL_B66-nq604lMFI7aRMpHemrUPlCS8FsnQ/w316-h400/GrandHotel.JPG" width="316" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Grand Hotel. Also known as the site where <br />winners of the Nobel Peace Prize reside. Located on<br />the "main street" of Oslo, Karl Johans Gate.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3T8qi_pO_VP29QmQDLR9qDTQEUXCkTVL2-eIgTi6l2b2q0vvk_N-WuKJzEQYh_gJ6VYFhksQWVPZpMK8QYcosndL9igRL9N2s1XqDcCNDRD8idX7M8BLMB2GhgG_n_kffM1-u2KDFzHQKYyalTa_9wf1Y9lOiXpv8BKlnRZ5UXTy3AIZ0RH-8dH4p_s/s2506/NationalTheater.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1647" data-original-width="2506" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3T8qi_pO_VP29QmQDLR9qDTQEUXCkTVL2-eIgTi6l2b2q0vvk_N-WuKJzEQYh_gJ6VYFhksQWVPZpMK8QYcosndL9igRL9N2s1XqDcCNDRD8idX7M8BLMB2GhgG_n_kffM1-u2KDFzHQKYyalTa_9wf1Y9lOiXpv8BKlnRZ5UXTy3AIZ0RH-8dH4p_s/w400-h263/NationalTheater.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The National Theater.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimX0LTReil3gUwQblcpbWu-eATYCWAe01YDq4azQKqFr2YffHnLVl3LEdlLFWsoKNYtY8RN2619sb9De3pGtBZUBnPO7Tr_-SsbMfygkPc19k1XG_qfE7HogOz32WIPNpm12ffSa059C_W_HJSMUYbtIQWB7H0aKNq5MdYkxnYrumIjCbmbOC3UeY1zmg/s2624/Parliament.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="2624" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimX0LTReil3gUwQblcpbWu-eATYCWAe01YDq4azQKqFr2YffHnLVl3LEdlLFWsoKNYtY8RN2619sb9De3pGtBZUBnPO7Tr_-SsbMfygkPc19k1XG_qfE7HogOz32WIPNpm12ffSa059C_W_HJSMUYbtIQWB7H0aKNq5MdYkxnYrumIjCbmbOC3UeY1zmg/w640-h298/Parliament.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Norwegian Parliament building, also adjacent to Karl Johans street, and at the opposite<br />end of a park from the National Theater.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUdPw7SyufkHMxZ7HkPILJLNSoCiBhXRHirl6TAYh3gUIiVjrK5UW2-MaBwihdTACCcUEmTTuE0yYg7tcsWmcGkw15YHKjrg4MroOHcdcIdtVXDjwu1uKQ7VgcEvvPbH2feqZMsBK7PH81EA9tNdjXjWJfyY-06C0l543-Tu4sCcyWY5v21dwxQQbIkU/s2069/ViewtoPalace.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2069" data-original-width="1770" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUdPw7SyufkHMxZ7HkPILJLNSoCiBhXRHirl6TAYh3gUIiVjrK5UW2-MaBwihdTACCcUEmTTuE0yYg7tcsWmcGkw15YHKjrg4MroOHcdcIdtVXDjwu1uKQ7VgcEvvPbH2feqZMsBK7PH81EA9tNdjXjWJfyY-06C0l543-Tu4sCcyWY5v21dwxQQbIkU/w343-h400/ViewtoPalace.JPG" width="343" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down Karl Johans Gate toward the<br />Royal Palace. We were, unfortunately, too late in the<br />season to be able to go inside the Palace. It's only<br />open from about mid-June to mid-August, when the<br />Royal Family is on vacation and away from home.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Though it may seem that there are lots and lots of classic buildings, our impression was that they were relatively few and far between. There are many more modern buildings, and the city has been on quite a "tear" this century with respect to an emphasis on modern architecture.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUs31Fc0W_M0EgaXPSoWg12VyNx99rimmyZjhH7BrQfMIGIpKZ-W6GDbL2XNw_vpoaLp4d6pD3CrE7132h3xitpOlR7AvdZvi-K0kGGvRzRHMVZ-dfHa5KWqfa2ENB0v5hjzb6dfYxdRRj8m5EgLkHP6tBZBr6PWmNXGmKprGGVOu0vJ7J1gB3P2DTRIc/s2624/OperaHouse.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="2624" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUs31Fc0W_M0EgaXPSoWg12VyNx99rimmyZjhH7BrQfMIGIpKZ-W6GDbL2XNw_vpoaLp4d6pD3CrE7132h3xitpOlR7AvdZvi-K0kGGvRzRHMVZ-dfHa5KWqfa2ENB0v5hjzb6dfYxdRRj8m5EgLkHP6tBZBr6PWmNXGmKprGGVOu0vJ7J1gB3P2DTRIc/w640-h280/OperaHouse.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perceived as perhaps the most striking of the city's modern architectural masterpieces is the<br />Oslo Opera House. All those little "blobs" along the rooflines are people walking up (and down) the <br />sloping roofs for views from the top.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8Fsa1rv2Hpqs-v9O8Xs713GyVVc3l9AmhX4MG_tA8-FEEo6MxaGjqRE234dafef6af6ooIn2yw3Z_cwMezoRPbltTI7I01g_JZ_lywJAPnhDc6orts7Iha3Vmaf-SueKX4a42MmdryONYCma6aKRNgpuanTUaUNw3cPddOp9hZNoohT-ZYu_Busa20Y/s2028/LonOH.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2028" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8Fsa1rv2Hpqs-v9O8Xs713GyVVc3l9AmhX4MG_tA8-FEEo6MxaGjqRE234dafef6af6ooIn2yw3Z_cwMezoRPbltTI7I01g_JZ_lywJAPnhDc6orts7Iha3Vmaf-SueKX4a42MmdryONYCma6aKRNgpuanTUaUNw3cPddOp9hZNoohT-ZYu_Busa20Y/w389-h400/LonOH.JPG" width="389" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon is about halfway up the lower sloped roof.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Dsk37eXJXplEezpgZxLOAK-5BqVLj0q3DKczXbn-TPy4qjJG9d9kenIEEhUdDOAdU5jU0LY1oEhP7Ake90EWnhN9ygRApsJqNTprv1Liq3cZMwxSQ3aBBt9U-MoF3D3zx_40ir6HMRX7lee7JkimCoz2Zcv36_HahOrppmnNtZaEw1d_E8r8vth_wz0/s2530/barcode.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2530" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Dsk37eXJXplEezpgZxLOAK-5BqVLj0q3DKczXbn-TPy4qjJG9d9kenIEEhUdDOAdU5jU0LY1oEhP7Ake90EWnhN9ygRApsJqNTprv1Liq3cZMwxSQ3aBBt9U-MoF3D3zx_40ir6HMRX7lee7JkimCoz2Zcv36_HahOrppmnNtZaEw1d_E8r8vth_wz0/w311-h400/barcode.JPG" width="311" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not to be outdone, from 2016 we have the "Barcode"<br />project, twelve narrow high-rise buildings of different<br />heights and widths, that together resemble a barcode.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfgF_hpx7QSvAhWvQCxylQ7D3U3dMJDntwdS5akfnQWl8VGn9ov4yNijrwHEu9YxHSxCBxsnFs7CShcpDluxlWYsrsxGeIWCFe9sczbYvoNSyT_LyZilz7OT01QiHCqQEsLVd0_iQ-e25nwiUNf6nFYNjFZ7vr1RXXehlN4EsRt1DiRUxl9CCO6CyJls/s2624/trainplaza.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1819" data-original-width="2624" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfgF_hpx7QSvAhWvQCxylQ7D3U3dMJDntwdS5akfnQWl8VGn9ov4yNijrwHEu9YxHSxCBxsnFs7CShcpDluxlWYsrsxGeIWCFe9sczbYvoNSyT_LyZilz7OT01QiHCqQEsLVd0_iQ-e25nwiUNf6nFYNjFZ7vr1RXXehlN4EsRt1DiRUxl9CCO6CyJls/w400-h278/trainplaza.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The plaza adjacent to the Oslo Central Station.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We were fortunate to have a hotel that was in the center of the city. We had only a day-and-a-half for our explorations, so were limited in what we could see and do. No museums for us, but we did enjoy wandering the city streets for glimpses of Norwegian life. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3iSHL__ktzZAfNMa8ZEEVJ3G1On0UaQf16I_YOYbFmFqr5F5etDhOHLVC-YTH5hsQ8e0K2uWhfWp7MMKbmOzr1zGJn-ei_cjsZ0XG7eBWM2fBh6a1FHMqw_2vQSVsPrfx7Z6iodatIfzL4adDf89e-G2E8HPrLBEDkSuWBtV59re3OUbonAFUwfJx0I/s2065/coffee.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2065" data-original-width="1647" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3iSHL__ktzZAfNMa8ZEEVJ3G1On0UaQf16I_YOYbFmFqr5F5etDhOHLVC-YTH5hsQ8e0K2uWhfWp7MMKbmOzr1zGJn-ei_cjsZ0XG7eBWM2fBh6a1FHMqw_2vQSVsPrfx7Z6iodatIfzL4adDf89e-G2E8HPrLBEDkSuWBtV59re3OUbonAFUwfJx0I/w319-h400/coffee.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norwegians love their coffee, which we were happy<br />to see and experience. The hotel breakfast buffets<br />were beyond amazing and with as much strongly<br />brewed coffee as one would care to drink.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifacmJICqJjqLlg6s577N9Z63SsVm_c_mwwn_CIie2y5pFTVBmsaQh8UcJ7LRUoMkfpR6-KjSdNWKwtV0J7paItIjqPlP1afAnXEhKg1_bRstquE2Bc0_NYA2oPM-xk6E12XTQe4GarupuIAWJRFnxTqz8iajwJXDmttx6xmVGFScJfc6OgGIWXSjfgVw/s2624/P1050678.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifacmJICqJjqLlg6s577N9Z63SsVm_c_mwwn_CIie2y5pFTVBmsaQh8UcJ7LRUoMkfpR6-KjSdNWKwtV0J7paItIjqPlP1afAnXEhKg1_bRstquE2Bc0_NYA2oPM-xk6E12XTQe4GarupuIAWJRFnxTqz8iajwJXDmttx6xmVGFScJfc6OgGIWXSjfgVw/w300-h400/P1050678.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the shopping zone on Karl Johans street. Downtown<br />seemed to have a healthy retail sector.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYg-XSavHc9fKdk9kKMbkAqCPyOZGrumiiFxNaCQdzVhnup6ZDbFZjuCd8hpzdTX9Q0rRVDpdomuxUNAnGfyZXCbCGd_q3jcGsHN8GPbsdkaUlcvYLl86sFshHRdvwAdqMTb7WFpDU6lZKRYxqY6Nt-rc0mvyDaVGXf-98hG0sS8HpoTLg7a9CLpfSdXA/s2624/restaurantfurs.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1652" data-original-width="2624" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYg-XSavHc9fKdk9kKMbkAqCPyOZGrumiiFxNaCQdzVhnup6ZDbFZjuCd8hpzdTX9Q0rRVDpdomuxUNAnGfyZXCbCGd_q3jcGsHN8GPbsdkaUlcvYLl86sFshHRdvwAdqMTb7WFpDU6lZKRYxqY6Nt-rc0mvyDaVGXf-98hG0sS8HpoTLg7a9CLpfSdXA/w400-h251/restaurantfurs.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only in Norway. The Norwegians like to take advantage of outdoor<br />dining, but a fur wrap on the chair helps with the comfort level<br /> on a cool night (or day).</td></tr></tbody></table><br />When Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel established the five Nobel prizes in his will, he specified that four of the prizes would be given in Sweden, but the Peace Prize was to be administered in Norway. The Peace Prize Center offered a daily walking tour in English that explained the process and took us to all of the venues important to the Peace Prize process.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23sVpQvoGI8EvE2do07hfiDGwQkd-y1r3jiXLi2ke0Zc_obASRnaRc6r5ykTKj_A1y8I7e6giWk4o5nwaz7kiv05XeCZ983_ZbTmIJvxeOwR1j0Os9GzUPYKZFkGPhDSFa5ljGSMX-Pj6ksuPm0b57griZygX1Vp8LQFXJEtNmj1ZNmdl4NvF9XZxE7E/s2543/NobelPeaceCenter.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1501" data-original-width="2543" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23sVpQvoGI8EvE2do07hfiDGwQkd-y1r3jiXLi2ke0Zc_obASRnaRc6r5ykTKj_A1y8I7e6giWk4o5nwaz7kiv05XeCZ983_ZbTmIJvxeOwR1j0Os9GzUPYKZFkGPhDSFa5ljGSMX-Pj6ksuPm0b57griZygX1Vp8LQFXJEtNmj1ZNmdl4NvF9XZxE7E/w400-h236/NobelPeaceCenter.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Nobel Peace Center.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />It seemed we had barely arrived in Oslo before we needed to leave on August 30. If Oslo is Norway's "first city" (at least in terms of size, with over 700,000 inhabitants), Bergen (population just under 300,000) is definitely up there in the consciousness of those outside of Norway. Located on the southwest coast of Norway, Bergen is surrounded by mountains and fjords, and has a rich trading history. We knew we wanted to visit Bergen, but wanted to experience some of Norway's vaunted mountain and water scenery while we made our way there. Ultimately, we chose to get there by a combination of railways and a ferry: Oslo to Myrdal via train; the famous "Flam Railway" from Myrdal to Flam; and ferry from Flam to Bergen on the Sognefjord, Norway's longest and deepest fjord. It made for a nearly 13-hour travel day, but aside from a travel delay on the train to Myrdal--which had us wondering if we were going to miss the once-a-day ferry out of Flam--it was not physically strenuous. The biggest danger was in being overwhelmed by how beautiful the scenery could be. You take one or two photos and before you know it you have several hundred pictures of mountains, water, and cute little villages.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Zd4BsfELTRZnKmYDXVjXG9uQH-Bc5en0ZUbpZHIeNveYEK7Zy9TJO3U-4nIK86ryl2Ft3yxURLf-4qDHYCCcDrgBiLz4fbT06legxk3zH9kE5QHLBYn51J-h7EcYhhenpsUWk1zes1IqoJ4JL7GX74LedipRGvzYguYroe9nBUt1AzszCaTHBbLo97Y/s2624/OBFarms.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1514" data-original-width="2624" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Zd4BsfELTRZnKmYDXVjXG9uQH-Bc5en0ZUbpZHIeNveYEK7Zy9TJO3U-4nIK86ryl2Ft3yxURLf-4qDHYCCcDrgBiLz4fbT06legxk3zH9kE5QHLBYn51J-h7EcYhhenpsUWk1zes1IqoJ4JL7GX74LedipRGvzYguYroe9nBUt1AzszCaTHBbLo97Y/w400-h231/OBFarms.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You start out with farms outside of Oslo . . . <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEine73Q1K7T_lP7M5mt9qzgIft4yeFX_KKlsIhU8xdritzTmE9zUuHSMEEG1hu_bHTF9D7ZDB6nmWwRwr9Z_MTv_qoknxAavHFrqt-fqezuoeDgwJLVMyMuWmVnjDicxi5PdTltQa-ocqwXsTvhI8OLNNKEz9TUkP_NrjkOEq-VDTawazVYbnsY6IweOD0/s2624/OBhighMountains.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1464" data-original-width="2624" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEine73Q1K7T_lP7M5mt9qzgIft4yeFX_KKlsIhU8xdritzTmE9zUuHSMEEG1hu_bHTF9D7ZDB6nmWwRwr9Z_MTv_qoknxAavHFrqt-fqezuoeDgwJLVMyMuWmVnjDicxi5PdTltQa-ocqwXsTvhI8OLNNKEz9TUkP_NrjkOEq-VDTawazVYbnsY6IweOD0/w400-h224/OBhighMountains.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> . . . and before you know it you're in the high mountains.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4R6bSxzZ63vTMEeomkLBBmZ-Bbs5MGvLyLDoBEdvxmLxcSyp6aWf43SxgRqXnuPwTgO6CPTbdSIDcd6yGI-gDjamKmq6Qg2geB-89mvc292oIOJrhA4-iy_txEzUp_eo7e28E1p2o4AbisJ31XB3vBK2KJRik1nD6K9Kwzh8SvO_I-oYjhNIQ82U8dI/s2551/Flam1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2551" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4R6bSxzZ63vTMEeomkLBBmZ-Bbs5MGvLyLDoBEdvxmLxcSyp6aWf43SxgRqXnuPwTgO6CPTbdSIDcd6yGI-gDjamKmq6Qg2geB-89mvc292oIOJrhA4-iy_txEzUp_eo7e28E1p2o4AbisJ31XB3vBK2KJRik1nD6K9Kwzh8SvO_I-oYjhNIQ82U8dI/w309-h400/Flam1.JPG" width="309" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Flam Railway starts in the alpine station of <br />Myrdal, 867 meters above sea level. Passengers ride<br />in a vintage train compartment for the 1-hour trip.<br />It is one of the steepest standard gauge lines in the world.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NkyZcGArIxUbcwGspDGu8veRTV0krAnvtKR0-rUiS354xueeFyf0bBAJb-WOGI0HfgO1tj4dsRA7TGq0oxNFAiS1KNOXG3jMx1CVv3bF8WRKd-_VRrw_NHTeU_3NXD0WF4NW-xzg1HgdtW78rigti8KbWLZFvtxSrXvsa-TUKTGvs0c7RuG5jNhXBSY/s2483/Flam2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2483" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NkyZcGArIxUbcwGspDGu8veRTV0krAnvtKR0-rUiS354xueeFyf0bBAJb-WOGI0HfgO1tj4dsRA7TGq0oxNFAiS1KNOXG3jMx1CVv3bF8WRKd-_VRrw_NHTeU_3NXD0WF4NW-xzg1HgdtW78rigti8KbWLZFvtxSrXvsa-TUKTGvs0c7RuG5jNhXBSY/w318-h400/Flam2.JPG" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As we descended, I kept imagining what this would<br />look like in January.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwq7EeTZ0QBwbk_fl5g3IR3wp0Ugqhh0LpVKyEaNf4FEetIdB3gyUXy_K_Qw4SXVVdDLBMxiHISXVOz7H1Cm3n9sCsXcP9snestC-Vxn13SrX7h7beE1PqmiGdVjuTZFoMfErdwdWhHEi5BT16RwADV6ZXPrhcOaOJivdhd15buE6rdL2AMXGbQa8CK4U/s2467/FlamWFStop.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2467" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwq7EeTZ0QBwbk_fl5g3IR3wp0Ugqhh0LpVKyEaNf4FEetIdB3gyUXy_K_Qw4SXVVdDLBMxiHISXVOz7H1Cm3n9sCsXcP9snestC-Vxn13SrX7h7beE1PqmiGdVjuTZFoMfErdwdWhHEi5BT16RwADV6ZXPrhcOaOJivdhd15buE6rdL2AMXGbQa8CK4U/w319-h400/FlamWFStop.JPG" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The train stopped for a five-minute photo op at<br />the Kjosfossen waterfall. The waterfall was quite<br />spectacular; the dancers performing some kind of<br />otherworldly dance (one in red about mid-photo to<br />the right of the falls) were a bit hokey.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>If we were to do it over again, we might have investigated the "biking down" option. In good weather it gives one the opportunity to stop and take better advantage of the amazing views.</div><div><br /></div><div>We were more than an hour late getting into Flam, but because there were so many rail passengers who needed to make a connection to a ferry, the ferries delayed their departures. Those extra few minutes allowed us to make it onto our boat. As there is only one Flam-Bergen ferry a day, we were more than relieved that we didn't have to come up with a "Plan B" to get to Bergen. Instead, we were treated to more "scenic overload."</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NCCpwa0Uz6JQ0qfSCjeTc3SRqOEdD1Lzy-rz146nRXq10wT3lp8MZjusmoln0dKdvWwPi4ncAy2tQJqLXXxw-IJiF06cVzgZgvgMvMZ1MD1o54lo3_3bJuSjBd0FJsBbzlJAOMR3Dw3yjdIc69poxFZh-L2rDrPkvgWvW1cMYXeD0QLTygirUbKcTmY/s2289/Sgonjafjord1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2289" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NCCpwa0Uz6JQ0qfSCjeTc3SRqOEdD1Lzy-rz146nRXq10wT3lp8MZjusmoln0dKdvWwPi4ncAy2tQJqLXXxw-IJiF06cVzgZgvgMvMZ1MD1o54lo3_3bJuSjBd0FJsBbzlJAOMR3Dw3yjdIc69poxFZh-L2rDrPkvgWvW1cMYXeD0QLTygirUbKcTmY/w344-h400/Sgonjafjord1.JPG" width="344" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrv79vlwfG_U8M3uJUJ36TfWseAqtx7gwCg51wGk_5G_PFemwCxv3dEK_7ruQlpP8CiygCiunXN5-8Mf3dPkJUsjwxkH2LNtV-xW5sPOsvxHP0XiFgPmq_GoSsWd6hPQ6tvpy1D9dwarjZynyUQijNlckI9hZ6Ehv0Un7VEngc0dg29Wdfx4X3Fr_wVKs/s2624/SF3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1451" data-original-width="2624" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrv79vlwfG_U8M3uJUJ36TfWseAqtx7gwCg51wGk_5G_PFemwCxv3dEK_7ruQlpP8CiygCiunXN5-8Mf3dPkJUsjwxkH2LNtV-xW5sPOsvxHP0XiFgPmq_GoSsWd6hPQ6tvpy1D9dwarjZynyUQijNlckI9hZ6Ehv0Un7VEngc0dg29Wdfx4X3Fr_wVKs/w400-h221/SF3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zEVejVoMEbxaL2-7-DxpnCtPbdkCghg-8-HnaJwxTxGbRxf1Z2PX55tAvJ9v6Nhm1iBzGuHqO5aYk4RkyXcIQsNqqyGE1MYVqnp9DcjtWG1plAmupIA1y0YGL4vXtTcCz2ylhAFj-gX0V9xlnGhlU0uAdPwExqRv-rrFB4WMg6h6fVV_02shf-duyqE/s2624/SF2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1772" data-original-width="2624" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zEVejVoMEbxaL2-7-DxpnCtPbdkCghg-8-HnaJwxTxGbRxf1Z2PX55tAvJ9v6Nhm1iBzGuHqO5aYk4RkyXcIQsNqqyGE1MYVqnp9DcjtWG1plAmupIA1y0YGL4vXtTcCz2ylhAFj-gX0V9xlnGhlU0uAdPwExqRv-rrFB4WMg6h6fVV_02shf-duyqE/w400-h270/SF2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kQ2XDIcLhjpRCPE7uo4TFXFIq7QRKwBFXqJ8a80BvHilkcih2fqIUuW6o2uYXk78V0XSNJz2rDwajRhqHE1gu8FtpfRk5a4KdrVu27LBzZrZ09zkcz2Uq-wlb-G6uuG3AI22rXs5wuRzTPfnEZvn6u0ny-szoCBrzvgQuGGjm2tyE9AUBj1EHaI9XIs/s4000/FerrySunset.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2174" data-original-width="4000" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kQ2XDIcLhjpRCPE7uo4TFXFIq7QRKwBFXqJ8a80BvHilkcih2fqIUuW6o2uYXk78V0XSNJz2rDwajRhqHE1gu8FtpfRk5a4KdrVu27LBzZrZ09zkcz2Uq-wlb-G6uuG3AI22rXs5wuRzTPfnEZvn6u0ny-szoCBrzvgQuGGjm2tyE9AUBj1EHaI9XIs/w400-h217/FerrySunset.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the landscape flattened out a bit as we approached<br />Bergen at twilight.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />If Oslo is a city with lots of museums and culture, but with some access to nature activities, Bergen is a city with lots of access to nature activities, but with some museums and culture. Bergen is about the same age as Oslo, and served as Norway's capitol in the 13th century. From the end of the 13th century to the end of the 18th, trade was its way of life. In the middle of the 14th century, north German merchants established an outpost of the Hanseatic League in Bergen. Bergen became one of North Europe's largest centers for trade. Bergen's old quayside, Bryggen, is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. But, as with Oslo, fires were an unfortunate fact of life in this city that also had a plethora of wood buildings. The most devastating fire was in 1702, when 90% of the city was reduced to ashes. But fire was wreaking havoc as late as 1955, when parts of Bryggen burned down. The result is a city with buildings that are mostly relatively recent, and a historic Bryggen district that is a mix of original and totally reconstructed buildings. </div><div><br /></div><div>We essentially had a day-and-a-half to explore Bergen. It is one of the wettest parts of Norway, so we were thrilled beyond measure that we saw a lot of sun during our time there. For us that meant doing more outdoor activities as opposed to being driven inside to museums.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5klm5S-NL9ges7YY58GqNOm8zDF-KB4FJpFEVREZx-Ipp9Tkn7xpJoPUbYbKalS1I3eN6MejPDk_f5iJety_FXBgcuyD-eBfjVEaf1WuzcIP-qsHYoUAAVYkGufwUbedZl2WkhGqbq7I8c1YbhWn21P7ycT_2YTF1m1VzpnNOtk5Mfn8XPQ8OyjTRZ9k/s4000/BergenFog.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1995" data-original-width="4000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5klm5S-NL9ges7YY58GqNOm8zDF-KB4FJpFEVREZx-Ipp9Tkn7xpJoPUbYbKalS1I3eN6MejPDk_f5iJety_FXBgcuyD-eBfjVEaf1WuzcIP-qsHYoUAAVYkGufwUbedZl2WkhGqbq7I8c1YbhWn21P7ycT_2YTF1m1VzpnNOtk5Mfn8XPQ8OyjTRZ9k/w640-h320/BergenFog.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our view of the colorful Bryggan waterfront from our hotel across the harbor.<br />On September 1 it initially came with a backdrop of a cloud-shrouded mountain, but the sun<br />broke through later in the morning.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhX7Hm7TOZvoAfekdm2ki6-idyUIpU1lES1YjGK2lpAIqyX5gw5tF4hMmJA0D770SfjsObB29ogdpYTblI1JQBqoikK5F_r-2pZbmQGYH5Q-TjF069ZS_FXESoajkmM6OOe_ddXull-f6CTOsIeXdwbcaHArprUagp1QVPvvG3TSiGjpXW2_YPNi6RgE/s2624/lookingup.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1476" data-original-width="2624" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhX7Hm7TOZvoAfekdm2ki6-idyUIpU1lES1YjGK2lpAIqyX5gw5tF4hMmJA0D770SfjsObB29ogdpYTblI1JQBqoikK5F_r-2pZbmQGYH5Q-TjF069ZS_FXESoajkmM6OOe_ddXull-f6CTOsIeXdwbcaHArprUagp1QVPvvG3TSiGjpXW2_YPNi6RgE/w640-h360/lookingup.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">August 31 was sunny from start to finish, which meant that a trip to the top of the mountain<br />Floyen was in the works for us. A funicular runs to-and-from the viewing area on the mountain<br />(the circled area in blue), but we decided to walk up and take the train down.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvSKFJamBtDRAkG-D_G3sB34ZBjIJTW4Gs8Zfpw8TQoOoR94yePqGQy-BkfkZT9DLhLhYQmY6xv2MpRU5p6rq9Yq_U-fxs8xsby9zF4JHnb9j2z7fli8v5u3gxMlk0yrMcs41SVqxrXCkEwgHSzx0Yr8yD1gYOi_EV3ld79n7-LZ-pYxvkKBdvqLMOJI/s2577/walkingup.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2577" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvSKFJamBtDRAkG-D_G3sB34ZBjIJTW4Gs8Zfpw8TQoOoR94yePqGQy-BkfkZT9DLhLhYQmY6xv2MpRU5p6rq9Yq_U-fxs8xsby9zF4JHnb9j2z7fli8v5u3gxMlk0yrMcs41SVqxrXCkEwgHSzx0Yr8yD1gYOi_EV3ld79n7-LZ-pYxvkKBdvqLMOJI/w305-h400/walkingup.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="305" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The walk was a combination of stairs and slopes. </td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8q5t5Et_LMXSaSQpDCHYx5j9iXkVxK-9tzmeWHKlMU2jugSU7LORq4ITPWmHgE4EdN_Xi4S4nZ1629Vk55AMwq_2ns-t3ly4gVQP9AMev_jfm1gvFDE7ugsQwrrilWtT7pX3nfnBIbi78MJWykRETjbOSWca5UbBU_DPj_MG4_bnlng7HwaFCXUUYysk/s5616/BergenpanoramaFlo.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1882" data-original-width="5616" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8q5t5Et_LMXSaSQpDCHYx5j9iXkVxK-9tzmeWHKlMU2jugSU7LORq4ITPWmHgE4EdN_Xi4S4nZ1629Vk55AMwq_2ns-t3ly4gVQP9AMev_jfm1gvFDE7ugsQwrrilWtT7pX3nfnBIbi78MJWykRETjbOSWca5UbBU_DPj_MG4_bnlng7HwaFCXUUYysk/w640-h214/BergenpanoramaFlo.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panorama from Floyen. Our hotel is circled in blue.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_am04Jj5B9eGu6BHfPFkmpKiip2MaE86rCLtwg0ZW010eprbRlicRSfsG3qAkjFll2xv_DiygEftQIeVXOB46y-N5GsNWgmys4l9rWvJ5drmmOt3Ial1OXsjnK_Y1A2SnJ8f32ASsMbSofK5oZmurVnwKNGyOcbwa4ooB_Jqeztl8hxlw06yCIkJlUE0/s2624/selfieoverBergen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1941" data-original-width="2624" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_am04Jj5B9eGu6BHfPFkmpKiip2MaE86rCLtwg0ZW010eprbRlicRSfsG3qAkjFll2xv_DiygEftQIeVXOB46y-N5GsNWgmys4l9rWvJ5drmmOt3Ial1OXsjnK_Y1A2SnJ8f32ASsMbSofK5oZmurVnwKNGyOcbwa4ooB_Jqeztl8hxlw06yCIkJlUE0/w400-h296/selfieoverBergen.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just to prove we were there . . . .<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzWnmAKunX0NwhctF3NY8F37Yejj5cYeG3FGjzlXIrMe1PvFqnEZjT3gDYsRPU4FfUN9O2e_JgfHDLTTv-z_vquRfgTcrufJUqRkA_5lp9By2ncOJfjiUwrPm4WGy24baHTC4wFy94G-2Yp46j617dsRL0faBL4VzB8RnbzG-3XRCbUBjuGelJJdN98E/s2577/downthefunicular.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2577" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzWnmAKunX0NwhctF3NY8F37Yejj5cYeG3FGjzlXIrMe1PvFqnEZjT3gDYsRPU4FfUN9O2e_JgfHDLTTv-z_vquRfgTcrufJUqRkA_5lp9By2ncOJfjiUwrPm4WGy24baHTC4wFy94G-2Yp46j617dsRL0faBL4VzB8RnbzG-3XRCbUBjuGelJJdN98E/w305-h400/downthefunicular.JPG" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headed down in the funicular. Definitely easier<br />on the knees.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>In the afternoon we did the walking tour of the old town. It would have been a bit more pleasant if it had not been overrun with other tourists.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmNzneh41AOlkFlG-gjUGHOsQgB-G4cVRk-H_afIsu8R59B-gtCYqWqS0XKgivp2iUtuuLxteEJMIrSyhNM4dfAGmlMWNlUzN2ZjJ1SPoO4_BEfJBxHGxpyJB38yPGJWSFTWYipyvyppoKmB-0s-2RycDf3bjlBwjjNuLl2wccKzIKiGKgCms0VPw1pk/s2624/cruiseShips.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1686" data-original-width="2624" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmNzneh41AOlkFlG-gjUGHOsQgB-G4cVRk-H_afIsu8R59B-gtCYqWqS0XKgivp2iUtuuLxteEJMIrSyhNM4dfAGmlMWNlUzN2ZjJ1SPoO4_BEfJBxHGxpyJB38yPGJWSFTWYipyvyppoKmB-0s-2RycDf3bjlBwjjNuLl2wccKzIKiGKgCms0VPw1pk/w400-h258/cruiseShips.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The source of the crowds around the harbor. Bergen is visited by<br />about 300 cruise ships a year. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17jeYjmxcldHd6FTsxoBA8awLH40CzYHKbNjO-3lRCnaoHenez5AucBoty6IbSPJnr6JmD9DA72_mCZB6TLh8MNj-XLU80ggLhiddvGyRIu9QTPOzWJdNPxu8LFldVBr2OH1FjKNC5IYbNjL-6QN2QqpBT41VIskbnW5RFkCqueBJbVmLBwtnbJi56Jk/s2624/Hakonshallen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1521" data-original-width="2624" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17jeYjmxcldHd6FTsxoBA8awLH40CzYHKbNjO-3lRCnaoHenez5AucBoty6IbSPJnr6JmD9DA72_mCZB6TLh8MNj-XLU80ggLhiddvGyRIu9QTPOzWJdNPxu8LFldVBr2OH1FjKNC5IYbNjL-6QN2QqpBT41VIskbnW5RFkCqueBJbVmLBwtnbJi56Jk/w400-h231/Hakonshallen.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haakon's Hall, built in the mid-13th century. It was the largest<br />building of the royal residency when Bergen was the national<br />capitol.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinte-2y7IwIy9zEh280RXUslZJhhTPjwkuE4eC-3U6j5xUyL6rQL_YLLpIxmYuPQpLp4NNHc-tbnSc_KjodYvesoCk92EyC0OFbS1UGOqf4FPcbWswXy1rrG6Fq-1HhYy9rgGv3BRmZ7eqnelpB_BcL1pVno3txoXFab15d_bux9TS0bLFuHZh-VeUKQ/s1968/Mariakirken.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1954" data-original-width="1968" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinte-2y7IwIy9zEh280RXUslZJhhTPjwkuE4eC-3U6j5xUyL6rQL_YLLpIxmYuPQpLp4NNHc-tbnSc_KjodYvesoCk92EyC0OFbS1UGOqf4FPcbWswXy1rrG6Fq-1HhYy9rgGv3BRmZ7eqnelpB_BcL1pVno3txoXFab15d_bux9TS0bLFuHZh-VeUKQ/w400-h398/Mariakirken.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Mary's Church, the oldest existing building in use in Bergen.<br />Built between 1130 and 1170, it is still an active parish and has<br />been in continuous use since the Middle Ages.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKvM-DNxG5XvDxNXDWQPT6kEffkFe77d0h_ZNu49FHSyJQ775w0Qab0GAGxufrkBRdSGj3y3nbwGsmSHpi7XAuQqO4tjkSNsoBV4hXlnucMEtsYK9_7qX5S78h7W_BV5twFw8Sjn5UDi2JquUDaYmOBLnCQvnWEIXz8AYpUBQeQwnerY2E6QU7trJakY/s2624/pulpit.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1937" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKvM-DNxG5XvDxNXDWQPT6kEffkFe77d0h_ZNu49FHSyJQ775w0Qab0GAGxufrkBRdSGj3y3nbwGsmSHpi7XAuQqO4tjkSNsoBV4hXlnucMEtsYK9_7qX5S78h7W_BV5twFw8Sjn5UDi2JquUDaYmOBLnCQvnWEIXz8AYpUBQeQwnerY2E6QU7trJakY/w295-h400/pulpit.JPG" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The St. Mary's Church pulpit was a gift from <br />German merchants in 1676. The style and <br />construction is unique in Norway.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bZFHbTiWKeIipHz4jHHIb8hPRUG4m3NR_ibfiBx_TEPrVcA61lCM2csYpE3z0ocMktV5NFpiXiAzhnpqM3U79C-4xTvvqtsvh7NimTbU5HrWmWjyrJOkMGsfm2RQQUOSNxq4N-qArRqg3IyG38H5e_mj8r3-g_0xXrsFQ7CvV0lRGACRcdTJZNIGNCE/s2624/RosenkranzTower.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1810" data-original-width="2624" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bZFHbTiWKeIipHz4jHHIb8hPRUG4m3NR_ibfiBx_TEPrVcA61lCM2csYpE3z0ocMktV5NFpiXiAzhnpqM3U79C-4xTvvqtsvh7NimTbU5HrWmWjyrJOkMGsfm2RQQUOSNxq4N-qArRqg3IyG38H5e_mj8r3-g_0xXrsFQ7CvV0lRGACRcdTJZNIGNCE/w400-h276/RosenkranzTower.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bergenhus Fortress was built in the early 1500's. It is one of the<br />oldest and best-preserved stone fortifications in Norway. In WWII,<br />the occupying Germans used it as their western headquarters.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OWoQyH33hpN6J3YkYW0kZg29hQ9qvaaBl_8YnblKxHYHMgrHL3ZB4OEwLTC1RG8zD9s0QfKmqeABFq081WynnQuOlQDmTjjrbhW2l4hpE3SpZmJ2X52ybclStSn6UVzkDotKcsjAkGcz9RRe2QY-Uaf43xR_JaSs90hCOCF6z2tdc_DZBLIWCBLYeM4/s2546/Brygganwalkway.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2546" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OWoQyH33hpN6J3YkYW0kZg29hQ9qvaaBl_8YnblKxHYHMgrHL3ZB4OEwLTC1RG8zD9s0QfKmqeABFq081WynnQuOlQDmTjjrbhW2l4hpE3SpZmJ2X52ybclStSn6UVzkDotKcsjAkGcz9RRe2QY-Uaf43xR_JaSs90hCOCF6z2tdc_DZBLIWCBLYeM4/w309-h400/Brygganwalkway.JPG" width="309" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bryggen is primarily tourist shops, but it is interesting<br />to explore the pathways between and behind the buildings.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The clouds were very low on the morning of September 1, so while we waited for things to clear we wandered through some of the streets slightly away from the busy tourist area.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_SvoRrsykSXCs-PIX2hzdpYbTH6gEagsoW5C-hI7WDotc2lMpxR4xBr-rej8Zxs0Oo1SIHDkp3Wp2yw9jaLb_3PkGD9qffVpjMMgml1LHGq-d836m7PIDvY0TVvihwOLbD5--JIEJp4fl9X15sgns-j9SyLTd6GlDmNV111PMy3nOgg1Amd--x-QiSQ/s4080/Bergenbackstreet.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2645" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_SvoRrsykSXCs-PIX2hzdpYbTH6gEagsoW5C-hI7WDotc2lMpxR4xBr-rej8Zxs0Oo1SIHDkp3Wp2yw9jaLb_3PkGD9qffVpjMMgml1LHGq-d836m7PIDvY0TVvihwOLbD5--JIEJp4fl9X15sgns-j9SyLTd6GlDmNV111PMy3nOgg1Amd--x-QiSQ/w259-h400/Bergenbackstreet.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A steep pathway goes down past somewhat<br />older wood-constructed houses.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XcWUbqiAZwzePVidz3fB9vU6BgiGmJ_mzprfJbdEY6QpfVyRmDZpwVHf3_GPaImlurMVRHjf5t04MPbTjI_UjKbYBV14PFad3K82xCiw7f5MBa1cjjlnXBgPEJwUfc8qUcMH8NCH-MQbrejOMGJ92I_DQgX4k-vruKgBLwYroa5mQhB8CFlnGpNisq8/s2030/McDonalds.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2030" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XcWUbqiAZwzePVidz3fB9vU6BgiGmJ_mzprfJbdEY6QpfVyRmDZpwVHf3_GPaImlurMVRHjf5t04MPbTjI_UjKbYBV14PFad3K82xCiw7f5MBa1cjjlnXBgPEJwUfc8qUcMH8NCH-MQbrejOMGJ92I_DQgX4k-vruKgBLwYroa5mQhB8CFlnGpNisq8/w388-h400/McDonalds.JPG" width="388" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The building on the left is the local McDonald's.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The sun started to make breakthroughs about mid-morning, and we still had a few hours before we needed to report to the cruise ship that would take us out of town, so we decided to take advantage of the other Bergen overlook option, a cable car to the top of Mount Ulriken. There is a way to walk to the top, but aside from still being in recovery from our walk up Mount Floyen the day before, we probably wouldn't have had enough time to make that kind of a hike.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqvdVB6jGoMoFPmTLIyRWguw9lUi2MgztQchD_7jPaXxhsMadrcL5-fRoANV8ebS3-lXTIxQ5DYcN7iV-apFhAF1U_TYdMQQdeXh7bCACO_Tfly-jivncfGfWHqXIFB0JsDmi9Ht-nJgNPesOURVVgl6nlvex0mNo8EpbPHADOm_me8uYb0A5Z-Ktt3w/s2582/fog.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2582" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqvdVB6jGoMoFPmTLIyRWguw9lUi2MgztQchD_7jPaXxhsMadrcL5-fRoANV8ebS3-lXTIxQ5DYcN7iV-apFhAF1U_TYdMQQdeXh7bCACO_Tfly-jivncfGfWHqXIFB0JsDmi9Ht-nJgNPesOURVVgl6nlvex0mNo8EpbPHADOm_me8uYb0A5Z-Ktt3w/w305-h400/fog.JPG" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We still had some low clouds when we rode up<br />to the top.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dAuV9vo0Nuaubmf2AmM6ehcbMHZamnXGoC7LnQPp0tr0lQCYp1RANz6WliBgP4E3oEQNHCupuT1wCZ7H0g61x6GuqplwUL1udbhHj0w-iXW-Z7ISBa32qFIL7n6_VJUe5TgI9Uj8EAFbw2nMP3G5sjv56uuAzN_zDuXo--gTcCFUEun6yQD6UcJ4yG0/s2624/gondolaandfog.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1782" data-original-width="2624" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dAuV9vo0Nuaubmf2AmM6ehcbMHZamnXGoC7LnQPp0tr0lQCYp1RANz6WliBgP4E3oEQNHCupuT1wCZ7H0g61x6GuqplwUL1udbhHj0w-iXW-Z7ISBa32qFIL7n6_VJUe5TgI9Uj8EAFbw2nMP3G5sjv56uuAzN_zDuXo--gTcCFUEun6yQD6UcJ4yG0/w400-h271/gondolaandfog.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once at the top it was beautifully sunny.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUXFcdYS_LXwua-k7reRYJdZQRC8ooM17V7MlkoVtJb0pbiMTAffjw1csAW7gUGcv9nnDBlvfhdf4qbBzQfxaMIuFWp6ZS8knHZNr9V4BAQ8f6Vm_f3ARB-ccsluT97Vwf1T_nLzhbVFF65IqwamKAXKIFtBKCCLGnUlxEmzrfuCQanWpvYvbPyOReIs/s2243/walkingtrailup.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2243" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUXFcdYS_LXwua-k7reRYJdZQRC8ooM17V7MlkoVtJb0pbiMTAffjw1csAW7gUGcv9nnDBlvfhdf4qbBzQfxaMIuFWp6ZS8knHZNr9V4BAQ8f6Vm_f3ARB-ccsluT97Vwf1T_nLzhbVFF65IqwamKAXKIFtBKCCLGnUlxEmzrfuCQanWpvYvbPyOReIs/w351-h400/walkingtrailup.JPG" width="351" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the walking trail winding its way to the<br />top. It consists of 1333 steps carved out of stone by<br />Sherpas.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowsxEWNDsTCn_1NFpv4lbevGx0dqqdZ3wjyl0yAXKwmcaBGfTxhd_TCeLVuXBlAMtrK40IW2BJM2Y5O7P98Ht-8TKCVifn0dfHd23CFkUcZ1VaKRYTacHhpO-flC5d2hvsoDPwR2WB0E8qN3M_Tx8-ooHoi-uv4WeXFe5CJexwonWfTPT6ExuH-s5Rhk/s2624/DingSomesteps.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1937" data-original-width="2624" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowsxEWNDsTCn_1NFpv4lbevGx0dqqdZ3wjyl0yAXKwmcaBGfTxhd_TCeLVuXBlAMtrK40IW2BJM2Y5O7P98Ht-8TKCVifn0dfHd23CFkUcZ1VaKRYTacHhpO-flC5d2hvsoDPwR2WB0E8qN3M_Tx8-ooHoi-uv4WeXFe5CJexwonWfTPT6ExuH-s5Rhk/w400-h295/DingSomesteps.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon pauses during his walk down to one of the lower levels--<br />one with "pause benches." It seems we can't totally resist<br />doing stairs.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhli2_0paXWIhLeblh27tzVo8LhfRnoeYW1gL676sIIaM87gpUPq_TX2iW4B60QdJBhABQMQ6vnkZfUuHSzUW7ze6Xz4nJH_-5kSYWniQY8-1bMvnU0T43DZRjDMmGnFkfLdLEHZPTOmngTNQqfSQVChe2HMtwQp91u6fICGQnl-wNhbF1FylqBT2WINYE/s2527/LonOTOTW.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1864" data-original-width="2527" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhli2_0paXWIhLeblh27tzVo8LhfRnoeYW1gL676sIIaM87gpUPq_TX2iW4B60QdJBhABQMQ6vnkZfUuHSzUW7ze6Xz4nJH_-5kSYWniQY8-1bMvnU0T43DZRjDMmGnFkfLdLEHZPTOmngTNQqfSQVChe2HMtwQp91u6fICGQnl-wNhbF1FylqBT2WINYE/w400-h295/LonOTOTW.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon on top of the world--sort of.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW05nI94RgzPZOFG7QnZU9VdIcNIZTvuSLG3PchjYpb7LPIXlml7Fxuj4TRJDhTDZi2ZRS_IgumJsCW1qy7fkD31NMQim-QTiH2NuFiawWDcRRagyIxiP_uFLQ-4_RNIdDBmx8VAjBHzV1Bx3ChsPQrBcib66RFFIri_mfmBjv0BDAX88GAHhBfOkRm1k/s1991/PatOTOTW.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1991" data-original-width="1968" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW05nI94RgzPZOFG7QnZU9VdIcNIZTvuSLG3PchjYpb7LPIXlml7Fxuj4TRJDhTDZi2ZRS_IgumJsCW1qy7fkD31NMQim-QTiH2NuFiawWDcRRagyIxiP_uFLQ-4_RNIdDBmx8VAjBHzV1Bx3ChsPQrBcib66RFFIri_mfmBjv0BDAX88GAHhBfOkRm1k/s320/PatOTOTW.JPG" width="316" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ditto for me.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHyp8Uxw8hdlz0cAqmz3IpZorhE9vdaq64i1afiKNRoQcXgoOROG6WosLkmwiYXaB5jng6wLCB7M1kLW2KQeMNiDa8DOwPVdRpAvuh9JhO1gBnin9-e-c9wZlYavR57yb1YOW4TYXIljCRix4wTPbFVviTd7trO3lJYvvamDDGUfiHeySRjqpJWdTCQE/s5712/Ulrikepanorama.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1897" data-original-width="5712" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHyp8Uxw8hdlz0cAqmz3IpZorhE9vdaq64i1afiKNRoQcXgoOROG6WosLkmwiYXaB5jng6wLCB7M1kLW2KQeMNiDa8DOwPVdRpAvuh9JhO1gBnin9-e-c9wZlYavR57yb1YOW4TYXIljCRix4wTPbFVviTd7trO3lJYvvamDDGUfiHeySRjqpJWdTCQE/w640-h212/Ulrikepanorama.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panorama of Bergen from Mount Ulrike after the clouds finally left. It is the highest<br /> of the seven mountains that surround Bergen.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>And now it's time to move on again, this time to the north. We can't claim to be experts on either Oslo or Bergen, but we do feel as though we are gaining some sense for what Norway is. We haven't encountered the Minnesota Scandinavian staples of lutefisk, lefse, or krumkake, but Norway does continue the proud Scandinavian tradition of high prices that we first experienced in Denmark over a decade ago.</div>Lon or Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14924791374179642070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-22913310197709478752023-08-26T09:57:00.002-07:002024-01-03T07:52:33.463-08:00Lazy Days<p>It's been a pretty quiet period for us in the time since the last blog posting. We had good intentions for biking to a number of villages in the vicinity, but the weather turned very hot, which stripped us of most of our inclinations for exerting ourselves to go sightseeing. Lon managed some painting repair work, but the bulk of our days--at least during the midday hours--was spent inside the boat. It was simply too warm outside to do much else.</p><p>We did manage to do one day trip to the town of Clamecy, on the Canal du Nivernais about 44 kilometers (25 miles) to the south of Auxerre. We did this on Saturday, August 19, as that was the only day where the daytime high was not forecast to exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit. As it was outside of our biking range, we took the train down in the morning and returned via bus in the late afternoon. Located at the confluence of the Yonne and Beuvron rivers, it is another Burgundian "medieval village", of which there are many. The medieval center of Clamecy has been classified as a protected sector by the French government and has some lovely buildings from that era.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETNcDpi_9aoDf9sF1lhDNaEdpmkN7fGeiS8MCdkMe1HejGZnLG4wvKyk-apfmWyzX_okFf8SZFba_PVq-VWapeKCosPFkJYh2HhpArA0hKvEZqh6uOGtZeiLjJUn0w2tgOg6qDY1mYk0xm57-w4wZxsYTHTvlKBXWKdq2lnqOfPR0xrr1fU2p1XXs0qo/s897/TimbersRUs-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="897" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETNcDpi_9aoDf9sF1lhDNaEdpmkN7fGeiS8MCdkMe1HejGZnLG4wvKyk-apfmWyzX_okFf8SZFba_PVq-VWapeKCosPFkJYh2HhpArA0hKvEZqh6uOGtZeiLjJUn0w2tgOg6qDY1mYk0xm57-w4wZxsYTHTvlKBXWKdq2lnqOfPR0xrr1fU2p1XXs0qo/w640-h640/TimbersRUs-COLLAGE.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Timbers-R-Us: A stroll through the historic center of Clamecy revealed some<br />lovely streetscapes.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzFxK-0uA-IDpLtnMMnfVGUnkiqShV2Ei1aQquA-kwdrK3eFj1doyrnVYbJXFakrJeWfL9kpR8uOV15XwUKrdXXYVmsPHufVDpisEPlM8yqKj1Qurje1t3Nb_0ih9Us8U9yziyQy-BLYgfB0-0yL4COzftNA2ClRl7LztiI2H_H2JSTunjcFHwk6S1qQ/s4080/ClemecyAcrossRiver.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2938" data-original-width="4080" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzFxK-0uA-IDpLtnMMnfVGUnkiqShV2Ei1aQquA-kwdrK3eFj1doyrnVYbJXFakrJeWfL9kpR8uOV15XwUKrdXXYVmsPHufVDpisEPlM8yqKj1Qurje1t3Nb_0ih9Us8U9yziyQy-BLYgfB0-0yL4COzftNA2ClRl7LztiI2H_H2JSTunjcFHwk6S1qQ/w400-h288/ClemecyAcrossRiver.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clamecy as seen from across the Beuvron River.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIOZqdxIlm4UmULCFK9ruXSIvkk0xpcZFZdqUof5J8ZGuNgTV1m-DVSbYbtxzV_hskP73r0lBc_GdeBgpYZurOxOnvbA4XbISagCdwHdvHij9QSZvm0qRlPt6-azp_Ja7gl6zAsRaGjkZZKZ4wvFm1kCmQDjPeHE4fowRRjwvghe1_lB3Vo1-DfU5xW0/s4080/ClemecyChateau.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3005" data-original-width="4080" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIOZqdxIlm4UmULCFK9ruXSIvkk0xpcZFZdqUof5J8ZGuNgTV1m-DVSbYbtxzV_hskP73r0lBc_GdeBgpYZurOxOnvbA4XbISagCdwHdvHij9QSZvm0qRlPt6-azp_Ja7gl6zAsRaGjkZZKZ4wvFm1kCmQDjPeHE4fowRRjwvghe1_lB3Vo1-DfU5xW0/w400-h295/ClemecyChateau.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The castle (circa 1700) in Parc Vauvert.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEB2YBX5TlyKDMlZO_LhxbCeH4ANY7Xoqt0FgGExd1NhMqvIW1mRufIb3BF59vcTF6J1vp41KMIT3-5m2E4mEuUFMOBrme5x28JqSMcWAQgcrOFa4HzlgXYlzc9C5yyfr9k0twESkIf914hc6TzoyOVfFSrOlcAFTlp9rThsnAnjetFq3A18ndBnpcbA/s4047/ClemecyChurch.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4047" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEB2YBX5TlyKDMlZO_LhxbCeH4ANY7Xoqt0FgGExd1NhMqvIW1mRufIb3BF59vcTF6J1vp41KMIT3-5m2E4mEuUFMOBrme5x28JqSMcWAQgcrOFa4HzlgXYlzc9C5yyfr9k0twESkIf914hc6TzoyOVfFSrOlcAFTlp9rThsnAnjetFq3A18ndBnpcbA/w303-h400/ClemecyChurch.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The collegiate church of Saint-Martin, built from<br />the end of the 12th century through to the 16th.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJP3L7i6MA0ro66RdqtMqMOOe3-HDqVk_IZCyKosxFHdFeOSD6pDE6lK3zNdliWU9Phyxg1uXBBc0tdhh4e9lZGCAOBajm9FXNRMkJz4nnM9JOC8OB08dNIVl_4r7sZJ4WrvzzR2rPEF8zq--K51cWadNRegxyp7WthtfjMAV-7br6QaG3mPWUQsOiMfg/s2217/ClemecyMarket.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2217" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJP3L7i6MA0ro66RdqtMqMOOe3-HDqVk_IZCyKosxFHdFeOSD6pDE6lK3zNdliWU9Phyxg1uXBBc0tdhh4e9lZGCAOBajm9FXNRMkJz4nnM9JOC8OB08dNIVl_4r7sZJ4WrvzzR2rPEF8zq--K51cWadNRegxyp7WthtfjMAV-7br6QaG3mPWUQsOiMfg/w355-h400/ClemecyMarket.JPG" width="355" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saturday was market day, and the covered market<br />was buzzing with activity. The produce looked really good;<br />I wished we'd been in a position to actually shop.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMkBYvAeVPDHPDSznwXw1ihyB4dMgRrrPtXPNsjrMqWj19dzIB1OliQh49fuOtI6fil0R_r9fUxZybwmRndlMR6ojSywowNmd7C54onwkNUXe96kMThtA43hy6I_JrIr3qcNQAa5_0IVHqrBff6UZi6_sAuhcueBKk0zU8ALut3YsP2OqT0c7E2Ouu7E/s4080/ClemecyPort.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2040" data-original-width="4080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMkBYvAeVPDHPDSznwXw1ihyB4dMgRrrPtXPNsjrMqWj19dzIB1OliQh49fuOtI6fil0R_r9fUxZybwmRndlMR6ojSywowNmd7C54onwkNUXe96kMThtA43hy6I_JrIr3qcNQAa5_0IVHqrBff6UZi6_sAuhcueBKk0zU8ALut3YsP2OqT0c7E2Ouu7E/w640-h320/ClemecyPort.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clamecy is a stop on the Nivernais Canal, and has a very nice Halte Nautique for <br />passing boaters. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivs_a6_2CziB6_T6zK3bWSv7FsWq51gQi2RhApRfE48Pi7bJsqJKWCrfCTTGQzU6HHb9BVrSEY0CdtVfQICx-u0V1ZxQGjYdX0C0OUOen6nIKFqFHCb6SqO50FuKsJhxjJ4DwRCY-0cs1mnLf5mAbdPXe2HUpRnOU0SKOyqd58rvs-vhe_NUMNup3yif0/s4080/FloweredBridgeClemecy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3023" data-original-width="4080" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivs_a6_2CziB6_T6zK3bWSv7FsWq51gQi2RhApRfE48Pi7bJsqJKWCrfCTTGQzU6HHb9BVrSEY0CdtVfQICx-u0V1ZxQGjYdX0C0OUOen6nIKFqFHCb6SqO50FuKsJhxjJ4DwRCY-0cs1mnLf5mAbdPXe2HUpRnOU0SKOyqd58rvs-vhe_NUMNup3yif0/w400-h296/FloweredBridgeClemecy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A flowered bridge over the Beuvron River.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUuuTbpRP_CO6Ft09YAkG6WGaQAwl2tee9ZryLEJqomn29LbxnrefrsUVMvahdcdIUfBWKyB2p7oXZVTieGOa4VUAr9qg-0bZ3HEMbzBPtKECKiiPWXUdvFJ51bdXy3p5nA8aNBcEZIcBHguw-9wOrbxWMYKfpBFOSgoMgA8C75lH4ZjfZBaHcKGHXN8/s4128/LunchClemecy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2794" data-original-width="4128" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiUuuTbpRP_CO6Ft09YAkG6WGaQAwl2tee9ZryLEJqomn29LbxnrefrsUVMvahdcdIUfBWKyB2p7oXZVTieGOa4VUAr9qg-0bZ3HEMbzBPtKECKiiPWXUdvFJ51bdXy3p5nA8aNBcEZIcBHguw-9wOrbxWMYKfpBFOSgoMgA8C75lH4ZjfZBaHcKGHXN8/w400-h271/LunchClemecy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch was ham and cheese sandwiches from a local <br />bakery as we sat at the Halte Nautique.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Clamecy was once the site of mills for wood, woolens, and flour; tanneries; and boot and shoe manufacturers. It was also known for trading of wine, cattle, wood, and charcoal. For over 400 years it enjoyed great prosperity as a center of the "Flottage du bois", whereby huge quantities of wood from the Morvan forests were processed and floated down the river system to feed the insatiable appetite of Paris for wood to heat its homes. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4hx-DocD77b6y0P_7qWWRuIzrPZ10k6Bf02SOUHEpV2fdeng-123vTT-vY9qzVdz5s02naAX0RFXRH_FCaEhoU1v0FjVlDtZ3zGj9F9ateHGvS6BBVG3040nI_V4okYRbwBMoNDxyQ-SRWcgNBDtwWF2IfZxTzI8liFU7UnEVvy4o5aRodYowDaby2ak/s3060/Flottage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="2867" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4hx-DocD77b6y0P_7qWWRuIzrPZ10k6Bf02SOUHEpV2fdeng-123vTT-vY9qzVdz5s02naAX0RFXRH_FCaEhoU1v0FjVlDtZ3zGj9F9ateHGvS6BBVG3040nI_V4okYRbwBMoNDxyQ-SRWcgNBDtwWF2IfZxTzI8liFU7UnEVvy4o5aRodYowDaby2ak/w375-h400/Flottage.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During the "great flood", the logs at 22 ports were thrown into<br />the river at the same time, and ended up in Clamecy for<br />further processing--sorting and stacking into rafts that would<br />then be floated to Paris.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusN_B3F2FR0kfwke_Lkq78bw0YX1qqya_AHkZZZ7ZDB3slBVwnwAi6lQelQjbMLCppE17btz1lykr-YpPjIi5Bs3_vLZVPay415Mpp85ac4xg40vdSAW01iyQdrECk3-BJrS3xV9a5dr0eQ1UuEeX-4Mp4rmnI_RfiLEZKUor9EOca-rj8g5h9ayPCIY/s4015/MuseumClemecy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4015" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusN_B3F2FR0kfwke_Lkq78bw0YX1qqya_AHkZZZ7ZDB3slBVwnwAi6lQelQjbMLCppE17btz1lykr-YpPjIi5Bs3_vLZVPay415Mpp85ac4xg40vdSAW01iyQdrECk3-BJrS3xV9a5dr0eQ1UuEeX-4Mp4rmnI_RfiLEZKUor9EOca-rj8g5h9ayPCIY/w305-h400/MuseumClemecy.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Clamecy Museum had an exhibit on the <br />"Flottage du bois". As Paris transitioned to the <br />use of coal for heating, the "wood floating" industry<br />declined. The last free log float took place in 1923.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Although we were hiding out from the heat during most days, we were not without social outlets. For about a week, Canadians Jill and David--and a rotating guest list--were rafted to the outside of us on their barge Thetis. We shared docktails more than once with them and with fellow Floridians David and Betty.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbBa0_oLH8i6ZnWXqt0HMP_-KycGZLmkHgNcBEjIqs73zBXd3Vd0fUQ-5cVhO-LFwdfje7pCRWJ4OY3DftIevnYiCh2_AVAJBKy1r7e1bYxwcQC_m8vNc-d4GHvyXczdem_cHIYm8iQph1leE7G2SjJkG5xvP_jXFBxTwztMGws0PFQV3CdF09n65gZU/s4080/Thetis.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2558" data-original-width="4080" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbBa0_oLH8i6ZnWXqt0HMP_-KycGZLmkHgNcBEjIqs73zBXd3Vd0fUQ-5cVhO-LFwdfje7pCRWJ4OY3DftIevnYiCh2_AVAJBKy1r7e1bYxwcQC_m8vNc-d4GHvyXczdem_cHIYm8iQph1leE7G2SjJkG5xvP_jXFBxTwztMGws0PFQV3CdF09n65gZU/w400-h251/Thetis.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thetis left Auxerre on Friday, August 18, to head up the <br />Nivernais Canal.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeW-Vk0i1uYfUZIcJeyEru7Dwlh1QlXJQAg616hLozZHt5rHZK3rHPEfT4HFnFnGiSTH_2tjo01--q82FXpHQyBSmtSjZ5WujXmaFeaB0jx-WMIgi5emhOIPdwHcT3D9oXE-V97-4vnuHnbGPWpHLAbPrbmPvbv_3UcSyl3Q_j9mFIzR8-leaJvC5Ncg/s4080/CrepeDinner.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2975" data-original-width="4080" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeW-Vk0i1uYfUZIcJeyEru7Dwlh1QlXJQAg616hLozZHt5rHZK3rHPEfT4HFnFnGiSTH_2tjo01--q82FXpHQyBSmtSjZ5WujXmaFeaB0jx-WMIgi5emhOIPdwHcT3D9oXE-V97-4vnuHnbGPWpHLAbPrbmPvbv_3UcSyl3Q_j9mFIzR8-leaJvC5Ncg/w400-h291/CrepeDinner.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We shared more than one dinner out with Betty and David. This<br />particular outing was for crepes. They are getting their motor sailor<br />ready for sale after years of incredible cruising adventures in<br />oceans, canals, and rivers. As their residence is Melbourne, FL,<br />we have hopes for a winter reunion with them back in the States.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Because we haven't been cruising I no longer have any excuse for not getting my morning exercise walking done. Some days the lingering over coffee is just too attractive, but I have managed to get out a few times, and with the heat, the earlier the better. On one of my walks I passed the Palais de Justice (courthouse). It was a nice enough building . . . </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWEP34WowwUQgas5H2Y1cX4n3sxcQfUy_0wGSH3RoX85o_QRg4HVAYJ1WChIxIGlJnip5zg8O-8afsCW6CmYXE6qAa9ckEUp-pe8WhPclQTW0Dg1yaDinffDRDvSHw0G1GyN2_bHk5YXifC19WL1n6OubiBM4lWVZ8VPv_ERZo_DjiQLc_Vy_mnfNyyk/s3947/PalaisdeJustice.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1764" data-original-width="3947" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWEP34WowwUQgas5H2Y1cX4n3sxcQfUy_0wGSH3RoX85o_QRg4HVAYJ1WChIxIGlJnip5zg8O-8afsCW6CmYXE6qAa9ckEUp-pe8WhPclQTW0Dg1yaDinffDRDvSHw0G1GyN2_bHk5YXifC19WL1n6OubiBM4lWVZ8VPv_ERZo_DjiQLc_Vy_mnfNyyk/w400-h179/PalaisdeJustice.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div> . . . but what really intrigued me was the sign that I saw painted on one corner adjacent to the parking area.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOwVVO0HUs_TSM1GhQhIkC7FJwgd5Bw_94tPkBK0X_fu3TatSRMQbUR4B6V4_Iof8qoc2_FjMhCyZqc6Irv2PvsB-vYsYMKJM_AEi5uNY1s4ojw0X2ODz3V74hizgF_Lrqc8D-auNaRlZQQM4gixyRflwBs_XzEDxw7gPcY2FVEPQ-q78xgaLx43RtYY/s3041/DefenseDeUniner.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3041" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOwVVO0HUs_TSM1GhQhIkC7FJwgd5Bw_94tPkBK0X_fu3TatSRMQbUR4B6V4_Iof8qoc2_FjMhCyZqc6Irv2PvsB-vYsYMKJM_AEi5uNY1s4ojw0X2ODz3V74hizgF_Lrqc8D-auNaRlZQQM4gixyRflwBs_XzEDxw7gPcY2FVEPQ-q78xgaLx43RtYY/w236-h400/DefenseDeUniner.jpg" width="236" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Forbidden to urinate under pain of fine"</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>In a country where it has sometimes seemed (in fairness, not so much these days) that public urination is a spectator sport, the appearance of the wall made me wonder if the threat was all that effective.</div><div><br /></div><div>After heavy thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday, today was absolutely glorious, wonderful weather for the 6th annual "Rues Barrees Festival d'Auxerre" (closed streets festival). Over 3 days, 20 artistic companies take to the streets of Auxerre to "strut their stuff"--acrobats, mimes, dancers, and others. Sidewalk sales were taking place at the same time, so the center of town was a lively place to be. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_WVXBzYgFBmq6PdN886trF_YvUBP8Hd7ab1Qi5FoYOGfPMgrg0iuCVIq1q4fIx-R7q4qSxfuZZWDOSQ7Vt5_C7xUYv8qoNVg7N_offpYPJcTUd1IaLasWkRmpqzKRefD-5DidhhXIzQxtamE06FKoaBzqYhmk3FXTS--udCXH7UXbyipUUyNqT73hOg/s1196/ballerinas-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1196" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_WVXBzYgFBmq6PdN886trF_YvUBP8Hd7ab1Qi5FoYOGfPMgrg0iuCVIq1q4fIx-R7q4qSxfuZZWDOSQ7Vt5_C7xUYv8qoNVg7N_offpYPJcTUd1IaLasWkRmpqzKRefD-5DidhhXIzQxtamE06FKoaBzqYhmk3FXTS--udCXH7UXbyipUUyNqT73hOg/w640-h480/ballerinas-COLLAGE.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We weren't able to spend a lot of time at the festival, but we <i>were</i> there to see this wandering<br />troupe of ballerinas who had escaped from the conservatory. Their performance was<br />highly interactive with the audience and very funny.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We are heading out tomorrow to a hotel at Charles de Gaulle Airport in preparation for a Monday morning flight to Oslo, Norway. We've not been to Norway before and are looking forward to seeing a bit of the country from which both of us have ancestors. Besides just general sightseeing, we have a stop planned in the town of Mo i Rana and a drive to the farm that was the home of one of my great-grandmothers in the 1800's. We'll be doing a fair amount of moving around by train and ferry, so I don't expect that I'll be posting anything here until after our return to Auxerre on September 7.</div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-89786837674016073702023-08-15T06:17:00.001-07:002023-08-16T07:44:10.900-07:00Roads Less Traveled<p>Having an extended period in Auxonne has given us the opportunity to investigate some of the surrounding area. For the moment, our explorations have been limited to places that are within a comfortable biking distance of the boat. (With the e-bikes the pedaling is easy; the comfort factor relates to how long we can tolerate the seats.) The furthest we've gone to this point is about 20 km (12 miles) one way. </p><p>Our first outing after getting the electrical issues straightened out was on Wednesday, August 9, to the village of Saint-Bris le Vineux. The route out of Auxerre took us southeast on a bike route along the eastern shore (right bank) of the Nivernais Canal/Yonne River to the town of Augy, where we turned away from the water and had a relatively long uphill climb on a major road (although not dangerously busy) before arriving at Saint-Bris le Vineux. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVmwXRVAZuooT5Y5EanPT1s6f9kCm26AMWBlCLnA_UCzRV-jcL3OQeCVyhIuTNY6ka59BP2KKq1gHfwCc2IDKj_7UbQBEfiA-ScLOQpbDLna0kZbr7FhYvKnYI5lklXJCjVkN7IWUi5shiH85dww21V6Ph5tcbU_M_ZtxniOGlVBwTKezd12Zh0bcK6o/s4080/Vineyards.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2605" data-original-width="4080" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVmwXRVAZuooT5Y5EanPT1s6f9kCm26AMWBlCLnA_UCzRV-jcL3OQeCVyhIuTNY6ka59BP2KKq1gHfwCc2IDKj_7UbQBEfiA-ScLOQpbDLna0kZbr7FhYvKnYI5lklXJCjVkN7IWUi5shiH85dww21V6Ph5tcbU_M_ZtxniOGlVBwTKezd12Zh0bcK6o/w400-h255/Vineyards.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Being in the Chablis region, the area around Saint-Bris<br /> le Vineux has lots of vineyards.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The town's name is derived from Saint Prix, a Christian martyr of the 3rd century, who was beheaded in the town of Puisaye. A Christian disciple of Saint Prix fled with Saint Prix's head to what is now known as Saint-Bris, where he, too, was martyred and later became known as Saint Cot. Saint Germain, the first bishop of Auxerre in the early 5th century, discovered their burial place and established the first church on the site. During the French Revolution (and its secularization of many things religious) the town was renamed Bris-le-Vineux because of the town's significant involvement in the wine industry. In the early 1900's "Saint" was again appended to the name.<div><br /></div><div>The village has a charming, medieval vibe, with narrow winding streets, timbered houses, multiple wine makers, and the stunning Saint-Prix Saint-Cot Church. On the day we were there it was very quiet. Whether that is typical for the village in mid-week, or due to residents being away on their August "vacances", we're not sure. It was still a lovely place to spend an hour or two. When we went through the church I had a sense of "deja vu", for good reason as it turned out. When we were at the DBA barge rally in 2017, one of the field trips was to a Chablis vineyard, followed by a wine cave tour (with wine tasting) and church visit in a small village near Auxerre. Turns out the village was Saint-Bris-le-Vineux. Usually my memory for place names is better--I am blaming information overload for the lapse!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4bt_1w1V90DByOUs7Kl29SYkp41OH6aqg5EiLrQsixzgiktAPquo9j8dVwn2OW78tb5EFRbXxWsklEZ27xBTXVf2X4QT8gL886bJf-zIK6PAZRP7TAtP5Z48LTlx08wsVkFkA38NgD0aDr8lH1PtY4UhoQiTezRcjiw-UEZH5FkEsOWvLReSbHRNhhE/s4047/ChurchSign.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4047" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4bt_1w1V90DByOUs7Kl29SYkp41OH6aqg5EiLrQsixzgiktAPquo9j8dVwn2OW78tb5EFRbXxWsklEZ27xBTXVf2X4QT8gL886bJf-zIK6PAZRP7TAtP5Z48LTlx08wsVkFkA38NgD0aDr8lH1PtY4UhoQiTezRcjiw-UEZH5FkEsOWvLReSbHRNhhE/w303-h400/ChurchSign.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The current church building dates from the 12th through<br />the 16th centuries.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg271mQAebkF4a07cfOgAynN4pAQuw89UZX-B2ftumICyGeBCyCytVc_3CwEa9zLGEF8DERM_GmURrp3lMJj0rtChaWB8EQbzH93-kGhB_HU0tiDuklzS1hhMOCg5hX1yQv9Gzg32sl7_cMFzvtWDlHDUC262hkTKW0ggeayqltZE94tc9xlbLZpYApHss/s3763/ChurchSt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3763" data-original-width="2926" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg271mQAebkF4a07cfOgAynN4pAQuw89UZX-B2ftumICyGeBCyCytVc_3CwEa9zLGEF8DERM_GmURrp3lMJj0rtChaWB8EQbzH93-kGhB_HU0tiDuklzS1hhMOCg5hX1yQv9Gzg32sl7_cMFzvtWDlHDUC262hkTKW0ggeayqltZE94tc9xlbLZpYApHss/w311-h400/ChurchSt.jpg" width="311" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A portion of the west facade of the church and<br />its neighborhood.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGJYjSVy5wnn4TpOABMM25wwrQLYRjRiZoQrwge1YuW6LM76W2WgAW5awE9EGV-je9yiCUpw-utAmMmxMJPk47fKvgjhwG-uSbW5puuU7wpIsz2KJhmhyxssmmzZLprcA81cPNzzzDq-dPKG0QnxeTrecEKF53Iw7UPnxoZnNGQipZWPnQ9AMgwXEKvg/s4080/Gate.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3017" data-original-width="4080" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGJYjSVy5wnn4TpOABMM25wwrQLYRjRiZoQrwge1YuW6LM76W2WgAW5awE9EGV-je9yiCUpw-utAmMmxMJPk47fKvgjhwG-uSbW5puuU7wpIsz2KJhmhyxssmmzZLprcA81cPNzzzDq-dPKG0QnxeTrecEKF53Iw7UPnxoZnNGQipZWPnQ9AMgwXEKvg/w400-h296/Gate.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back of the church and the adjoining Renaissance portal.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBR6etfjj0R_MXUG_s4Krtkpw_-0bmadWZ1GyqtFH9ivKOVTWcD4iZ4HzsUToW_Ekb81sYT6iRH54ede1c4mLlQViUW2fsEWdNiFDfiSfddGKhHlBNcAixtArQ9n1NLtDkUHS9nU16sy6clpklaW-VWdFo6ollPRBTUXC6054iEeg0ZVStN7lxz707ak/s1202/ChurchFresco.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1202" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBR6etfjj0R_MXUG_s4Krtkpw_-0bmadWZ1GyqtFH9ivKOVTWcD4iZ4HzsUToW_Ekb81sYT6iRH54ede1c4mLlQViUW2fsEWdNiFDfiSfddGKhHlBNcAixtArQ9n1NLtDkUHS9nU16sy6clpklaW-VWdFo6ollPRBTUXC6054iEeg0ZVStN7lxz707ak/w400-h300/ChurchFresco.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To the left, a portion of the church interior. To the right, the <br />pride of the church, an immense wall painting from 1500 of the<br /> "Tree of Jesse", a representation of the genealogy<br />of Jesus going back to Jesse, father of King David.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7P_1Wjw_E-jnyjtHBUK_D7xsVeuBexL54qeFtAKsRu_4PCbSjMFRkDA3_-VuVecltB4pzEJqw3tTj-QDZA-RSPtUvymi__yMhKGncJQ1-vOp__D4mBSwM0cPMkwkg-ojtNnhy0Jw5m4xEVs8lVdeYQqJU69Stq1XPd680AWbELUegeYJToMH2qdKKmM/s3994/Font.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3994" data-original-width="2976" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7P_1Wjw_E-jnyjtHBUK_D7xsVeuBexL54qeFtAKsRu_4PCbSjMFRkDA3_-VuVecltB4pzEJqw3tTj-QDZA-RSPtUvymi__yMhKGncJQ1-vOp__D4mBSwM0cPMkwkg-ojtNnhy0Jw5m4xEVs8lVdeYQqJU69Stq1XPd680AWbELUegeYJToMH2qdKKmM/w298-h400/Font.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 15th century baptismal font and its copper<br />cover. On the wall, a portion of a 15th century<br />altar piece in wood.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqdthS3Kx_e8V9NeZeGetrw1WodL9izjxRGEBuv89faDSQzi4RzhAEW60uVryWAqIKSLVGm14DUa_AT_3bCBUY5t7feyy1M8UfsU_9EuRvpinK7VCSZCs5j2bGvAvv8a0CIDyyd0iACwzJAtTtLSGHrV6KUoiHr5aDIUeLTSTnWoovYkB30Q_0k6xfgw/s4016/Relics.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4016" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqdthS3Kx_e8V9NeZeGetrw1WodL9izjxRGEBuv89faDSQzi4RzhAEW60uVryWAqIKSLVGm14DUa_AT_3bCBUY5t7feyy1M8UfsU_9EuRvpinK7VCSZCs5j2bGvAvv8a0CIDyyd0iACwzJAtTtLSGHrV6KUoiHr5aDIUeLTSTnWoovYkB30Q_0k6xfgw/w400-h305/Relics.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The enclosed bones are said to be authenticated relics of Saints<br />Prix and Cot. The reliquary is from the late 1800's, the original<br />containers having been seized during the Revolution and likely<br />melted down.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGR5BapLLV-0dpMUe4iHXbgzH06CbPw6oyxBxl9D69SC357jYXCwe6yY4fHRUH97cAC5OVZED8wI7bZ0JiR9zmGF2jrZw-keTLyfIhLsfRgO3vzi4ypa0inVHIq0oyZTwtgXAgFFmiafFAwFzJJES_m-wmdbsFfEVhM1Cd4qkCvG9rkOJprJ1uqA1dBOM/s3923/SideChapel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="3923" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGR5BapLLV-0dpMUe4iHXbgzH06CbPw6oyxBxl9D69SC357jYXCwe6yY4fHRUH97cAC5OVZED8wI7bZ0JiR9zmGF2jrZw-keTLyfIhLsfRgO3vzi4ypa0inVHIq0oyZTwtgXAgFFmiafFAwFzJJES_m-wmdbsFfEVhM1Cd4qkCvG9rkOJprJ1uqA1dBOM/w400-h313/SideChapel.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Chapel of Saint Cot from the 14th century. The Merovingian-era<br />sarcophagus to the right, dated to the 5th or 6th century, was said to<br /> have held the relics of Saint Cot. In former times, mothers would<br />come to lay their sick children on the sarcophagus and pray<br />that the saint would heal them.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicueqQbeBuIkAbeN25tDrieXgTSOHSUlO_LmidUj56okPpgLEn4mPE1aB7f8lrCb4L3EZkq1GaQ0HEBIzGqwsHQXqLtR7RcayfWCMYQpvi6dKzLok-bNu9fpnPTXMQ_gnLwBYFSAaPebnGlfJp84ug1ekJr8DP7AAie8F1SxGKl4mLuHq3wlMVuFeYduk/s4023/Cave1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4023" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicueqQbeBuIkAbeN25tDrieXgTSOHSUlO_LmidUj56okPpgLEn4mPE1aB7f8lrCb4L3EZkq1GaQ0HEBIzGqwsHQXqLtR7RcayfWCMYQpvi6dKzLok-bNu9fpnPTXMQ_gnLwBYFSAaPebnGlfJp84ug1ekJr8DP7AAie8F1SxGKl4mLuHq3wlMVuFeYduk/w304-h400/Cave1.jpg" width="304" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of opportunities for wine tasting in town.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4gnzbbLzwqTzVBfcMvgwSi_UKtMRRh9KIdBS9nNE4MspDS4JNLct4Ck8tIWAsAPj_b-HR-kqJKkGjG1AKhQYsLbGTAMwA0ZwBNKFN5ZmQBMBoJwZ1LwdeM9lnzySNf-ZabJve5jU-HH07Lj5F6U9w1kIV9t8RaZrZqmxYYjFyU3MP5kPbhbs5y5So68/s1202/Timbered.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1202" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4gnzbbLzwqTzVBfcMvgwSi_UKtMRRh9KIdBS9nNE4MspDS4JNLct4Ck8tIWAsAPj_b-HR-kqJKkGjG1AKhQYsLbGTAMwA0ZwBNKFN5ZmQBMBoJwZ1LwdeM9lnzySNf-ZabJve5jU-HH07Lj5F6U9w1kIV9t8RaZrZqmxYYjFyU3MP5kPbhbs5y5So68/w400-h300/Timbered.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautifully-restored timbered house, and one that<br />is being rebuilt after having been stripped down<br /> to the timbers and stone.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOYH2VMAIF5iofF9_bj82gvp_ih2tUhPl5jkzUpEVLJecDbDNK-1Dfu7OzwJVP_sWxmkrC62-ez6aQOe3jW96To49cG5YWB-BSkHGz5r3BJnxwsSWAyvJ9SkqNdGlhOggroVOFx36qEPFrNDBisfw6_ckkgOe26uBWkBB0FqiMtIK7ozU0M4XoGpr-iM/s1202/WallArt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1202" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOYH2VMAIF5iofF9_bj82gvp_ih2tUhPl5jkzUpEVLJecDbDNK-1Dfu7OzwJVP_sWxmkrC62-ez6aQOe3jW96To49cG5YWB-BSkHGz5r3BJnxwsSWAyvJ9SkqNdGlhOggroVOFx36qEPFrNDBisfw6_ckkgOe26uBWkBB0FqiMtIK7ozU0M4XoGpr-iM/w400-h300/WallArt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The facades of many of the old village houses had inlaid stone<br />decorations.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />So much to see and only a 10 km (6 mile) cycle ride from Auxerre!<div><br /></div><div>On Friday, August 11, we paid a visit to the medieval village of Cravant, located about 12 miles up the Nivernais Canal from Auxerre. We had originally hoped to visit Cravant when we were cruising the Nivernais in late July, but the electrical issues forced us to turn around before we could get there. Less than an hour on bike trails that followed the canal were a great way to try to recover some of what we'd missed.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdDSZrhtTy23DeTGCXWOFrlMGppJAkUrIfL55F5kI49Av3bdYnx8JY2cLCaHxcxbNLc3vzqCDuXMq5buXiENWtKn6Zf2mTgKmmzs3QVxr2XZL5mydDp-3xt8oid8dICkDalALj2anEWu6GZrxtYBhtuqhLB2vPmOuxe1JaSG3u9qKPmw9yobKsgcuVEk/s2624/sunflowers.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1931" data-original-width="2624" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdDSZrhtTy23DeTGCXWOFrlMGppJAkUrIfL55F5kI49Av3bdYnx8JY2cLCaHxcxbNLc3vzqCDuXMq5buXiENWtKn6Zf2mTgKmmzs3QVxr2XZL5mydDp-3xt8oid8dICkDalALj2anEWu6GZrxtYBhtuqhLB2vPmOuxe1JaSG3u9qKPmw9yobKsgcuVEk/w400-h294/sunflowers.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sunflowers are depressed, their heads drooping because they've<br />lost their yellow color and they know that the end of summer<br />is rapidly approaching.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The village of Cravant was economically powerful during the Middle Ages, thanks to its location at the confluence of the Cure and Yonne Rivers, its port, and its bridge. On July 31, 1423, it was the site of The Battle of Cravant, one of the battles of the Hundred Years War. English and Burgundian forces fought the French and their Scottish allies outside the town gates. It didn't end well for the French-Scots--they lost about 4500 men in the battle.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjobDerobBIV1QuMO0d69W2u9_Z2XzP9lmWDsRFcNcMuirTtn36lGqby_U1KTEhSua3DbEdRPM1vvaC7WmTJKS2mF2sZXrzABxJyQI9vJavuZKK0gQ6cAOtX0QOO3EfEGM6nxN82LIpoHimjZ-Pi7zJmwSR-H--ScVGcswE5wsrKc0m-FgiGhZP44pzAKU/s2196/BattleOfCravant.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2196" data-original-width="1719" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjobDerobBIV1QuMO0d69W2u9_Z2XzP9lmWDsRFcNcMuirTtn36lGqby_U1KTEhSua3DbEdRPM1vvaC7WmTJKS2mF2sZXrzABxJyQI9vJavuZKK0gQ6cAOtX0QOO3EfEGM6nxN82LIpoHimjZ-Pi7zJmwSR-H--ScVGcswE5wsrKc0m-FgiGhZP44pzAKU/w313-h400/BattleOfCravant.JPG" width="313" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Commemorating the Battle of Cravant.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQb6IZwkh51YY3NSzTTo90P4azBytHydAESLxXwMMntc-xpjyty7f_hOM8-yKSKcjFzRujx2exGoybX9WniCAf0rm1OOo6e5bHU5AAab7zBMY7RdTZDKWsgnBMmFluuYSTXZGDVe9sFSqWQD3ud6ZyZjnNyPr33u96_GmKzKlrLy53AJj6t43DoptGMc/s2583/Cravant-church.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2583" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQb6IZwkh51YY3NSzTTo90P4azBytHydAESLxXwMMntc-xpjyty7f_hOM8-yKSKcjFzRujx2exGoybX9WniCAf0rm1OOo6e5bHU5AAab7zBMY7RdTZDKWsgnBMmFluuYSTXZGDVe9sFSqWQD3ud6ZyZjnNyPr33u96_GmKzKlrLy53AJj6t43DoptGMc/w400-h305/Cravant-church.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The church of Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul (mostly 16th century,<br />with some traces going back to the 13th).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3LsbQP6dwFzAqwChDj8Yiosq8OVQeT2qwkYl_XNzjoYSHXoIrZvTDy5qrAvYIxu51ED3Tq_Y7vK7sln00x1Jo2JQqhn4o227NYMnqX29mlVOlDixttWUp17Grc-mYf67-QMwXTJQfwyU0l9LIaPQiUU58IafBpmiisW40Ryd8mfmsuPdcKRhPQLwuWg/s2303/Cravant_Tower.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2303" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3LsbQP6dwFzAqwChDj8Yiosq8OVQeT2qwkYl_XNzjoYSHXoIrZvTDy5qrAvYIxu51ED3Tq_Y7vK7sln00x1Jo2JQqhn4o227NYMnqX29mlVOlDixttWUp17Grc-mYf67-QMwXTJQfwyU0l9LIaPQiUU58IafBpmiisW40Ryd8mfmsuPdcKRhPQLwuWg/w341-h400/Cravant_Tower.JPG" width="341" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 14th century Belfry/Watchtower, which was part<br />of the medieval town fortifications.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0uEAQfjb6C9OEXCtHOqQlFiziRz-fL6ATUMclBBX3aUvwYpT-wPUzjAuBpay_aH7DRYwbuhA3HKCfPPY44xqArM_rmeouI4KMYRKGyG10-iLL4VMLIeQ2iPAQr95i8t3By-AWKNwWHfXvIqeGO6Z6vOuG8oNpkIgstboxP467ZXytJjRt8Vsg07hYfA/s1202/CravantCollage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1202" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0uEAQfjb6C9OEXCtHOqQlFiziRz-fL6ATUMclBBX3aUvwYpT-wPUzjAuBpay_aH7DRYwbuhA3HKCfPPY44xqArM_rmeouI4KMYRKGyG10-iLL4VMLIeQ2iPAQr95i8t3By-AWKNwWHfXvIqeGO6Z6vOuG8oNpkIgstboxP467ZXytJjRt8Vsg07hYfA/w400-h300/CravantCollage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To the left, an interesting old house. On the right, part of our<br />view during lunch at the cafe "O Jouvence".</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrT-KCEaDz7ieAv-A2d1dOX15KRFpd79gmMW4CHxKJiqbEFT50vl-Zxsv3P8G4Brjr6KOdlkjEhCZfF-8T8mYDMo9_qWNPjq_RBevpDSpcPXo5HTVf1Rbhi7hBKwiteFDhW0Z-_YSV2wDv3lGwvDa3Q8gE_RZIs-ENB0rlqcRQu4aV7-eWFmFyii7VH1g/s4724/CravantDonjon.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="4724" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrT-KCEaDz7ieAv-A2d1dOX15KRFpd79gmMW4CHxKJiqbEFT50vl-Zxsv3P8G4Brjr6KOdlkjEhCZfF-8T8mYDMo9_qWNPjq_RBevpDSpcPXo5HTVf1Rbhi7hBKwiteFDhW0Z-_YSV2wDv3lGwvDa3Q8gE_RZIs-ENB0rlqcRQu4aV7-eWFmFyii7VH1g/w640-h242/CravantDonjon.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anyone interested in buying a castle keep? The 13th century Cravant "donjon" is for sale. Location,<br />location, location: it's next to a (somewhat) more modern historical wash house.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We stayed close to "home" on Saturday and finally took the tour of the crypt in the Saint-Germain Abbey church. If this were Paris, we would probably have had to book the tour in advance to guarantee a spot. This being Auxerre, despite all the wonderful things to see, there really isn't a huge tourist presence other than those on rental boats who stop for a night or two. So, we had the tour guide on the English-language tour all to ourselves.</div><div><br /></div><div>The abbey dates back to the 5th century and was a former Benedictine monastery dedicated to its founder, Saint Germain of Auxerre. However, the oldest of the preserved buildings is the Carolingian crypt that dates back to the 9th century and was built around the burial site of Saint Germain. What is unique about the crypt are the well-preserved frescoes from the mid-800's that had been covered up with plaster in the 17th century and were only rediscovered in the early 1900's. The frescoes are the oldest surviving large-scale paintings of this type in France. The crypt also serves as a necropolis for the men who served as bishops in Auxerre from the 5th to the 9th centuries, after which the St. Etienne cathedral began to be used for that purpose.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAeQ83U6ybIHs5YKs_a5yuHJhe9ujWIw-V6Rwk6ShlFQOqzP8bN8_0Ga2i5N6JBALUeM30JkLx3jZdohMpk2B0C7JlkKlgqZlfBD_rr1iX2w5asJXPw9MHxP1VJF3TBS2NsnQRsZHxspfJchVBIE9LIclKmShTEdQCtWqylWG4pfo9uygQEIZBq5xbY7U/s902/CrypteFrescoCollage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="902" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAeQ83U6ybIHs5YKs_a5yuHJhe9ujWIw-V6Rwk6ShlFQOqzP8bN8_0Ga2i5N6JBALUeM30JkLx3jZdohMpk2B0C7JlkKlgqZlfBD_rr1iX2w5asJXPw9MHxP1VJF3TBS2NsnQRsZHxspfJchVBIE9LIclKmShTEdQCtWqylWG4pfo9uygQEIZBq5xbY7U/w400-h400/CrypteFrescoCollage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the frescoes. At the upper right is a fresco that depicts<br />the stoning of Stephen (from Book of Acts in the New Testament). </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZl0niE-xVnhnxmX2c8yxmNEDxWbLUmjWjhnSqTUIWyuSuYY5Jh0FC_5116hTg0f-DRBRVI18oAsNAeMJiPWeWH9oZZ3j1C4ESZtGTuU7kjA_dE6cbcqOCgShDeSqmiJBoQs3z_3ux9kDAZlSHUEaV2fTeIvUyjk5YnmhSMZn3J3eMRYklnfEbpHhvzc/s1202/CryptViews.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1202" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZl0niE-xVnhnxmX2c8yxmNEDxWbLUmjWjhnSqTUIWyuSuYY5Jh0FC_5116hTg0f-DRBRVI18oAsNAeMJiPWeWH9oZZ3j1C4ESZtGTuU7kjA_dE6cbcqOCgShDeSqmiJBoQs3z_3ux9kDAZlSHUEaV2fTeIvUyjk5YnmhSMZn3J3eMRYklnfEbpHhvzc/w400-h300/CryptViews.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the left, the view toward the chapel from the perspective of<br />the tomb of Saint Germain. On the right, the view toward the <br />tomb of Saint Germain from the perspective of the chapel. The <br />sarcophagus is said to be the "original", but the body of Saint<br />Germain was removed from the church and burned during<br /> a desecration of the church by Huguenots in the late 1500's.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9iHI-IqJGacH1htHjcWYCLrVvS-Brs5yGl-Zxac_Qg1zjNhIbyj0s0tbWKrHv-3JZq2TEpCm-z78CcgJxuQjr75GTa8wESAQvKdhzgb6Uj-lp-6m7WOKgf-ToYyNuE3NcrdxtFbA0wURAg2zxgxLiYwQ1W8x4O9S_AmJoS6hEMuoj5QFBByRpP5ls4c/s2581/sarcophogy.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2581" data-original-width="1968" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9iHI-IqJGacH1htHjcWYCLrVvS-Brs5yGl-Zxac_Qg1zjNhIbyj0s0tbWKrHv-3JZq2TEpCm-z78CcgJxuQjr75GTa8wESAQvKdhzgb6Uj-lp-6m7WOKgf-ToYyNuE3NcrdxtFbA0wURAg2zxgxLiYwQ1W8x4O9S_AmJoS6hEMuoj5QFBByRpP5ls4c/s320/sarcophogy.JPG" width="244" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three tombs of bishops in a "chapel"<br /> adjacent to the tomb of Saint Germain.<br />The two sarcophagi on the left are<br />5th century; the ossuary on the right <br />is 9th century.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>On Sunday, August 13, we realized that we'd been south and east and north of Auxerre on our area explorations, but had never gone to the west of Auxerre proper. It's not as though we saw any indication of "must see" sights, but simply wanted to see what was there. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vHgLRfCwLkOA86tVikXf6FefqOIg26HK1gYA96snNPDCCE2DaGUM4pzXk4e2eBnSbIFFFDCllaGsljP7W5esFoLzxnkOT3zzADajT39TsGpmKrVwOC7QoEaLAzIGqFXzqfBoIM3eZFgxdSUcRQaZlgqemsBM6JQXSixZNGZGEdyz5MxUvLouoAqXdvY/s3994/GravelTrail.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2817" data-original-width="3994" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vHgLRfCwLkOA86tVikXf6FefqOIg26HK1gYA96snNPDCCE2DaGUM4pzXk4e2eBnSbIFFFDCllaGsljP7W5esFoLzxnkOT3zzADajT39TsGpmKrVwOC7QoEaLAzIGqFXzqfBoIM3eZFgxdSUcRQaZlgqemsBM6JQXSixZNGZGEdyz5MxUvLouoAqXdvY/w400-h283/GravelTrail.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gravel roads and farm fields. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrWnakp5XLoySWD-R_tv4wrYD0Z1y6J-_KtWW7m5bxe6Hx7fhGDgbeNGb-YUO2y-xbqj12bQiyuUUvZ2Aor8D_bNOxQUkiBJZejqsbNdZQdixnm1C1YO1hn5S-YQAnaqBn-eNcwLktwr7bOhSnxqVU50PV-Ho5EdtOK6BN47mWFjo7YGDnyLkrRB0ltU/s4080/Chevannes.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="4080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrWnakp5XLoySWD-R_tv4wrYD0Z1y6J-_KtWW7m5bxe6Hx7fhGDgbeNGb-YUO2y-xbqj12bQiyuUUvZ2Aor8D_bNOxQUkiBJZejqsbNdZQdixnm1C1YO1hn5S-YQAnaqBn-eNcwLktwr7bOhSnxqVU50PV-Ho5EdtOK6BN47mWFjo7YGDnyLkrRB0ltU/w400-h240/Chevannes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lovely view of the village of Chevannes in the distance.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBFu1lRL1oklx43TiOtm-LvI9WgGub_czMOSmDSoJHi2bFVRgc-SdZVO7xL5pcpogu_a0GAA49FzUbsZL_IDvMQofTsa1mpSNgBmm1sSm2q_qpHoq8F6LlNaLVLCtiIP9AN-axhgKpqCFND-5QfbRwolKdRiFEAxkk_WOr_RhP8xZFWjEytwc_0n9Kzc/s4080/ChevannesChurch.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="4080" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBFu1lRL1oklx43TiOtm-LvI9WgGub_czMOSmDSoJHi2bFVRgc-SdZVO7xL5pcpogu_a0GAA49FzUbsZL_IDvMQofTsa1mpSNgBmm1sSm2q_qpHoq8F6LlNaLVLCtiIP9AN-axhgKpqCFND-5QfbRwolKdRiFEAxkk_WOr_RhP8xZFWjEytwc_0n9Kzc/w400-h293/ChevannesChurch.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The church in Chevannes was very attractive outside, but was<br />closed to visitors. The nearby patisserie was open, and we enjoyed<br />some delicious pastries during a quick break from biking.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8f4X1SYUapbrUToNQR_rj4_un-i-xeI8o87vdKtbvd-uTUPPhE8-JvFG7BXlFgQqyzPenazVAWZ5AgHHeexoa1_kcMUS1m9abZpPnK1tYdL2cfdDwTjSWy1kLVNMyXiDKr2Nwff0gQR96vltS0b3UXpIoxNG4tdemvcbY3SCU64wsRGwPdN-NjVkr6k/s2046/CastleCollage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="1535" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8f4X1SYUapbrUToNQR_rj4_un-i-xeI8o87vdKtbvd-uTUPPhE8-JvFG7BXlFgQqyzPenazVAWZ5AgHHeexoa1_kcMUS1m9abZpPnK1tYdL2cfdDwTjSWy1kLVNMyXiDKr2Nwff0gQR96vltS0b3UXpIoxNG4tdemvcbY3SCU64wsRGwPdN-NjVkr6k/w300-h400/CastleCollage.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two villages, two castles: The Chateau de<br />Villefargeau (top), currently an event venue,<br /> and the 16th C Chateau Ribourdin in Chevannes<br /> (bottom), a B&B with luxury guest rooms.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhrhQxEFMgmrlRlycBfX4OzBACp4hTUzw-19zxVwOHlOGaP9ShmeYccWf4xs9lB6a6-w--YAGJ2MgVgeS1xDQxW33wi_fPuinGjuqSt2rBhw24fe0Q5Xf_LJztARwHkiDmhhXHgG2VOhbhRspvjbUZGukc-hWPJNonIFtuPGTFdvsXXnovQTEBIBh-5w/s3218/HintofFall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3218" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhrhQxEFMgmrlRlycBfX4OzBACp4hTUzw-19zxVwOHlOGaP9ShmeYccWf4xs9lB6a6-w--YAGJ2MgVgeS1xDQxW33wi_fPuinGjuqSt2rBhw24fe0Q5Xf_LJztARwHkiDmhhXHgG2VOhbhRspvjbUZGukc-hWPJNonIFtuPGTFdvsXXnovQTEBIBh-5w/w380-h400/HintofFall.jpg" width="380" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't there a law against fall colors showing up in August?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7RD_5bvovFbN_90ehVlMqeFnstcW0V5usvyMIX5s52wgA9sixKuEV3zE_CEvwE2hmN-FDJrxkPHO2nIlMFkYNeFPhsjpSO5ZcbYpDxA2ju5JlRswXc6780mm0lDB-Nm2B8AeMftUtcx9OEm1phaydN2nZZzo1l6L0uivZ63IqClRJFm82gvc41PnCnE/s2648/Orgy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2648" data-original-width="2263" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7RD_5bvovFbN_90ehVlMqeFnstcW0V5usvyMIX5s52wgA9sixKuEV3zE_CEvwE2hmN-FDJrxkPHO2nIlMFkYNeFPhsjpSO5ZcbYpDxA2ju5JlRswXc6780mm0lDB-Nm2B8AeMftUtcx9OEm1phaydN2nZZzo1l6L0uivZ63IqClRJFm82gvc41PnCnE/s320/Orgy.jpg" width="273" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmmmmm . . . <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We have some additional bike rides planned over the next couple of weeks, and perhaps a train ride or two to reach some towns that sound interesting, but are a little further afield. We've met some lovely boaters here at the port, so the social side of our summer continues to be pretty nice.</div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-85530101317929837272023-08-10T07:01:00.000-07:002024-01-03T07:39:29.941-08:00Family Frolics<p>Good news! We received the correct replacement batteries on Monday, August 7, and the port electrician was back from vacation and on our boat the next day. Even better, the electrical issues turned out not to be especially serious: a stuck relay switch on the bow thruster controller was corrected by cleaning and remounting the relay, and rewiring the charge splitter and tightening the battery cut-off switches dealt with the alternator problem. After having to purchase two ridiculously expensive Exide batteries, we were glad to "escape" with only three hours of electrician time and a few replacement fuses as additional expenses.</p><p>During our wait for repairs in the first week of August, the weather continued to be very unlike a typical August. August 1st was rather rainy, but we did manage to eke out "Auxerre Walking Tour, Part 3" during one of the breaks in the rain.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRQf5b-E4wsrP3-JBphrvrBsr2ZKLmjbbLfQSr8SzmvzVGy8q4a_iAEL9BSBUmAvgbA_ssd-uAimxR0On4wF3VSqydJ3rmgWurW98QgGyM-P-rfVzcs-2C3qhCb6rDP8MWyVXmAhfbpxQ5sRtGOuEXMNSMxBt1Qs6xVpxgx6Cwh06bfaw6E0xJKl0cCA/s4080/MarieNoel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2647" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRQf5b-E4wsrP3-JBphrvrBsr2ZKLmjbbLfQSr8SzmvzVGy8q4a_iAEL9BSBUmAvgbA_ssd-uAimxR0On4wF3VSqydJ3rmgWurW98QgGyM-P-rfVzcs-2C3qhCb6rDP8MWyVXmAhfbpxQ5sRtGOuEXMNSMxBt1Qs6xVpxgx6Cwh06bfaw6E0xJKl0cCA/w260-h400/MarieNoel.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A statue of poetess Marie-Noel, well-known in France,<br />and born in Auxerre in 1883. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJHQqOc2Za8COaqFUqgXEpCvhpfYZOSfcep7DQ0r5z_q-vL6kHcfBjD8o076QeI0YAxCgh-E6Pjhp2cDvAMCMNAw0f5oarjyc9euH8S6dLBCw1fDXJAQijpS5HVXKjFg_z-z-ePTZ7jNL_l-AUbrx4xFeuFwHUNSNBn3Mytj-g6v3vP9P02FwqsE47zA/s4015/Saint-Eusebe.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4015" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJHQqOc2Za8COaqFUqgXEpCvhpfYZOSfcep7DQ0r5z_q-vL6kHcfBjD8o076QeI0YAxCgh-E6Pjhp2cDvAMCMNAw0f5oarjyc9euH8S6dLBCw1fDXJAQijpS5HVXKjFg_z-z-ePTZ7jNL_l-AUbrx4xFeuFwHUNSNBn3Mytj-g6v3vP9P02FwqsE47zA/w305-h400/Saint-Eusebe.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior of Saint-Eusebe church. The current constructions<br />are from the 12th to the 16th centuries. The first church<br />on the site in the 7th century, part of a monastery dedicated<br /> to Saint-Eusebius, was outside of the 3rd century Roman<br /> town walls, and was ultimately abandoned by the monks because<br />it was attacked so often. It was finally enclosed by a second<br />town wall built in the late 12th century.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaQXuKF4FsEAjGy9BieaWLkBDZTJJALVdVpUv94bJXDgpn43F0JuGmS0D15w-YeA7Vn77oQpgoVbk9LgeOQ18HYqOywetlOQTuesJ4rrQ8ax9BNKJ2cIERkQfQrIZHrOYNHaWe8i_2waq_J028x55GYfrfdeTxXYX-sAdAvU71xSnt2tKkHNxzVaiE4A/s4023/TourGuideLon.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4023" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaQXuKF4FsEAjGy9BieaWLkBDZTJJALVdVpUv94bJXDgpn43F0JuGmS0D15w-YeA7Vn77oQpgoVbk9LgeOQ18HYqOywetlOQTuesJ4rrQ8ax9BNKJ2cIERkQfQrIZHrOYNHaWe8i_2waq_J028x55GYfrfdeTxXYX-sAdAvU71xSnt2tKkHNxzVaiE4A/w304-h400/TourGuideLon.jpg" width="304" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon is an exemplary tour guide.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The off-again, on-again rain--and constant wind--continued into the morning and mid-afternoon of Wednesday, August 2, when we welcomed Lon's oldest brother Nick, Nick's wife Wendy, and Lon's youngest sister Sarah to Auxerre. We were very grateful that our port neighbor Robert was kind enough to perform "taxi service" with his vehicle to get our guests from the train station to the boat. In nice weather the walk from the train station is an easy 10-15 minutes, but it would have been a different story in the "sideways rain" that was falling at the time their train from Paris arrived in Auxerre. <div><br /></div><div>Miracle of miracles, the rain stopped, and the sun came out soon after our guests arrived on the boat. Although it was still incredibly windy, we were able to cross the river for a stroll to introduce them to Auxerre. As Sarah was only going to be with us for two nights, and Nick & Wendy for three, we had hoped to be able to take the boat out on a river cruise on Thursday, August 3. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate. Thursday was gray, showery at times, and extremely windy. Our fallback was further exploration of Auxerre and a lovely dinner that night at an Italian restaurant.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5Fm1ZoHeeJHHa_xw-q37YEcS5zv0qQnoZCCLtgla6jNKqtrfU1R9gaPGZj5a0Id6Fsq5FXS_noOhN-deEQKex2fWkuQs0R06UKrIumg9qOKK4WLj4QX3yhzUJV2TAwXtDDMPFiOXjrmAVXshxmJxLF4XRlgkvDMMGe4j7RpQCDeVIng3PoAWH-VUYRE/s1595/AllAuxerre.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1595" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5Fm1ZoHeeJHHa_xw-q37YEcS5zv0qQnoZCCLtgla6jNKqtrfU1R9gaPGZj5a0Id6Fsq5FXS_noOhN-deEQKex2fWkuQs0R06UKrIumg9qOKK4WLj4QX3yhzUJV2TAwXtDDMPFiOXjrmAVXshxmJxLF4XRlgkvDMMGe4j7RpQCDeVIng3PoAWH-VUYRE/w400-h301/AllAuxerre.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not letting the weather get us down: L to R (back): Wendy, Pat, <br />Lon, Nick. Front: Sarah.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7anVvdu5D7pQNZ9VFmnBpejjrP1oTQHnj_McW1UiPN-ACzvCogs2-Pxk69uyssCVmxLFvgveIk7AXBI52UnksXJ6LeD4bvoke9h4h7AHuaupCGfTuKIRH3WDpyYdW14LQTduWGFbgJY8QVpnS4DFniQFl2txCLpJLDlJwsIQSCFLANo-H9e1Bb5FiqPA/s3060/LonSibsCath.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2590" data-original-width="3060" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7anVvdu5D7pQNZ9VFmnBpejjrP1oTQHnj_McW1UiPN-ACzvCogs2-Pxk69uyssCVmxLFvgveIk7AXBI52UnksXJ6LeD4bvoke9h4h7AHuaupCGfTuKIRH3WDpyYdW14LQTduWGFbgJY8QVpnS4DFniQFl2txCLpJLDlJwsIQSCFLANo-H9e1Bb5FiqPA/w400-h339/LonSibsCath.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon, Wendy, Nick, and Sarah listen to an organist rehearsing<br />in the Saint-Etienne Cathedral. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVAaP4stejN3wCd_48GazJ9U2xf_TK8D-AZZUgwH1fnaljwJfeH-4pebkyF61P2FGb3eCN381CDMDvJJi3t_S1d0p7Oim9tVJvEpPq14U0SLVUQSmy2xlkXdIIdXXNbwryxr2ExWn9H5OX7RElNvNhyLlgcFli_2AuND9jDzZkrH10IxABfpERyQqYFU/s3060/LonSibsLock.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1988" data-original-width="3060" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVAaP4stejN3wCd_48GazJ9U2xf_TK8D-AZZUgwH1fnaljwJfeH-4pebkyF61P2FGb3eCN381CDMDvJJi3t_S1d0p7Oim9tVJvEpPq14U0SLVUQSmy2xlkXdIIdXXNbwryxr2ExWn9H5OX7RElNvNhyLlgcFli_2AuND9jDzZkrH10IxABfpERyQqYFU/w400-h260/LonSibsLock.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy, Sarah, Lon and Nick on a wet quay at the first lock of<br />the Nivernais Canal.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5o5JCsVnlxfpgEAwysRsjP8SiL0upl6_C7NprjjAZl-AZpl45FGLLT8LRJT3DbWPEotg142RhMUi4Fq8A4eq8oEQPB9TvMbKs7O7ERId4abrSX2SiHB2PPyRbmLju_gZfCVBvGfxxdO_EIMNEDSZFM1cgi5dV5k6s6TDby8_5q3SdRM-tklmNvnqw0oo/s3649/LonNickSaraTrain.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3649" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5o5JCsVnlxfpgEAwysRsjP8SiL0upl6_C7NprjjAZl-AZpl45FGLLT8LRJT3DbWPEotg142RhMUi4Fq8A4eq8oEQPB9TvMbKs7O7ERId4abrSX2SiHB2PPyRbmLju_gZfCVBvGfxxdO_EIMNEDSZFM1cgi5dV5k6s6TDby8_5q3SdRM-tklmNvnqw0oo/w335-h400/LonNickSaraTrain.jpg" width="335" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The brothers bid "adieu" to their sister at the train station <br />when she left us on Friday morning to make her way to London. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The weather on Friday started out cool and foggy, and the early forecast did not give us much hope for a weather day suitable for boating. Lon and I were wracking our brains to try to come up with a good alternate way to spend the day, when the skies began to clear, and the winds stayed calm. Around 11 a.m. we decided that the weather window was good enough to attempt a cruise. We were away from the dock within 30 or 40 minutes and headed north on the Yonne.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmn_Avxbtp37gYLCrul-G5WQJF-TsHRzoTWpnaYQOL1SkHIDhnRk1kVoIj90wEO2sFN-uB5mibCyBbAqmEP5TcaL44h_7QYMOG3Y87CGYARaPE4Hdi_z13NrbFbzR7JR4-b-7zkGs-vr5qsbFZH3zF9PjvALelhsMZLVAkPrbcqYlewEQS2nut1oqiRYs/s2624/LunchLock.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1685" data-original-width="2624" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmn_Avxbtp37gYLCrul-G5WQJF-TsHRzoTWpnaYQOL1SkHIDhnRk1kVoIj90wEO2sFN-uB5mibCyBbAqmEP5TcaL44h_7QYMOG3Y87CGYARaPE4Hdi_z13NrbFbzR7JR4-b-7zkGs-vr5qsbFZH3zF9PjvALelhsMZLVAkPrbcqYlewEQS2nut1oqiRYs/w640-h410/LunchLock.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made it to the 2nd lock by the time the lunch hour rolled around at noon. We were allowed to tie<br />up inside the lock, then the eclusier dropped the water level and went to lunch while we<br />enjoyed sandwiches and chips on the aft deck.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCh1YiSoxW7pnsfkEB7tbjTMgW_cW00I0pwse0u2xWyAShZqxf2ocE4jl5Um-TPDhlz_rR8UhoaRFfnm6mSMOKoQ4W3bmuBusVVvyTS05fst_0elx_H3Pe3VFfgz8e9N40TH71ryGO4t8z34QYuxC05-xLu8dtgIT764BqjBQ_oZ15VDUc8_IqT4V0OdE/s2593/NWBoat.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2593" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCh1YiSoxW7pnsfkEB7tbjTMgW_cW00I0pwse0u2xWyAShZqxf2ocE4jl5Um-TPDhlz_rR8UhoaRFfnm6mSMOKoQ4W3bmuBusVVvyTS05fst_0elx_H3Pe3VFfgz8e9N40TH71ryGO4t8z34QYuxC05-xLu8dtgIT764BqjBQ_oZ15VDUc8_IqT4V0OdE/w304-h400/NWBoat.JPG" width="304" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy and Nick enjoying the sun near the<br />bow of the boat. I do not know the spf level<br />of Nick's jacket/head covering, but as a fashion<br />statement it was top notch.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhin5xrf61O6LMpRd8-vickhnJcvOEl9FCWeSzevc3WFZDYeU_uPZ1EqTyDr3ofVlwRz-Ohaa1CX5lrQjcds9eKpvwdmrX_lsL2AVMTCFsBtRrXrKgs_cYsxGXFdyydvNGS9JzdD-Ybj-WywGLEQ1O_VhlqK0tcRysE1odpiQZLT8zqTCFoV_0c03s1cO4/s2624/WAterfrontAuxerre.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1560" data-original-width="2624" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhin5xrf61O6LMpRd8-vickhnJcvOEl9FCWeSzevc3WFZDYeU_uPZ1EqTyDr3ofVlwRz-Ohaa1CX5lrQjcds9eKpvwdmrX_lsL2AVMTCFsBtRrXrKgs_cYsxGXFdyydvNGS9JzdD-Ybj-WywGLEQ1O_VhlqK0tcRysE1odpiQZLT8zqTCFoV_0c03s1cO4/w640-h381/WAterfrontAuxerre.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After passing through the 3rd lock, we turned the boat around and headed back to Auxerre. The<br />town looks so much better in sunshine!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>All told, we had about a 4-hour outing, including lunch. While it would have been nice to have cruised further, we were glad we returned when we did. About an hour after mooring, while we were enjoying our after-cruise Crémant on the back deck, an intense storm cell moved over Auxerre. As we escaped to the inside of the boat, the rain poured down and high winds created waves on the river. Within less than an hour it was all over and we were left with a lovely, calm evening for a farewell dinner with Nick and Wendy at a local creperie.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sHR8qePD7ZC6An_qTIzfqb_vopYSh3lHM4Di7sGVM0fL1x6pC8HAiCMi3F6nqxCNCPaMJdwj6NWTE-c4RbEa9bJuKfMyjWYVnSyi2MI7RfwgwKL8IzdgkiRkjOq72CF_ZO7NwEkjBX3XsIFmNI-MtEfMCVOE1PysmKY9PGlw36h1MifAsPNfiRTk8A0/s2624/P1050490.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sHR8qePD7ZC6An_qTIzfqb_vopYSh3lHM4Di7sGVM0fL1x6pC8HAiCMi3F6nqxCNCPaMJdwj6NWTE-c4RbEa9bJuKfMyjWYVnSyi2MI7RfwgwKL8IzdgkiRkjOq72CF_ZO7NwEkjBX3XsIFmNI-MtEfMCVOE1PysmKY9PGlw36h1MifAsPNfiRTk8A0/w400-h300/P1050490.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy's dessert looked delicious.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPDTRchpM_jC8f_RjL-Q1WCus85iH7keB_nadCsfi2jIfhANqcnro8uJ-e_QL3JtFZJlTkRHQj8X5yXfTb6_Ztms3tM-tcmnMHLoY9ABSptJt-DRNZphkLcIOgRuNnVHXhs2qLVwkoEvI8xfucoHbB-gug5BqLaCZt8OznYOA2NdMd4yqsV4PMTSpewA/s2624/P1050492.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPDTRchpM_jC8f_RjL-Q1WCus85iH7keB_nadCsfi2jIfhANqcnro8uJ-e_QL3JtFZJlTkRHQj8X5yXfTb6_Ztms3tM-tcmnMHLoY9ABSptJt-DRNZphkLcIOgRuNnVHXhs2qLVwkoEvI8xfucoHbB-gug5BqLaCZt8OznYOA2NdMd4yqsV4PMTSpewA/w300-h400/P1050492.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon makes a friend of the creperie owner's dog.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKDMvppRXg5HfI3sGPNk8JxOhIKDFBHMtELy_exIrNIL8o_443RcQifmJJJjR3JM2KCWc5Msmsw12RQWtKG16dk4_3wlTaz_pPVHr2Tvkdqvv7GHbx4rI9AV6mE8pEZcddkQeA6EVOW_hZxcyO64dkVSshWfwbzCo9gavuwM9jlwuah0pnQMOMtuheQc/s2227/NightMarket.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2227" data-original-width="1649" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKDMvppRXg5HfI3sGPNk8JxOhIKDFBHMtELy_exIrNIL8o_443RcQifmJJJjR3JM2KCWc5Msmsw12RQWtKG16dk4_3wlTaz_pPVHr2Tvkdqvv7GHbx4rI9AV6mE8pEZcddkQeA6EVOW_hZxcyO64dkVSshWfwbzCo9gavuwM9jlwuah0pnQMOMtuheQc/w296-h400/NightMarket.JPG" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We walked through Auxerre's night market on our way<br />to and from dinner.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWWpilQBbvpoFC4UAVFRzLUHGQBmJi7NTumQoBhumrUGOgc3JuWQzpGL_U6gFnnA2EOIJ_M_tuNEYlZGBnmWlN09nAel8700qBRpMfnMCS0GilCOk6KvTDBfKazZU97R9637flLSs_FBV0Qfkb6kyz_6KGhEqhZXXGMSSu6jfb2_tzqWn9Nm-Ya88Ce0/s2624/StormySunset.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="2624" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWWpilQBbvpoFC4UAVFRzLUHGQBmJi7NTumQoBhumrUGOgc3JuWQzpGL_U6gFnnA2EOIJ_M_tuNEYlZGBnmWlN09nAel8700qBRpMfnMCS0GilCOk6KvTDBfKazZU97R9637flLSs_FBV0Qfkb6kyz_6KGhEqhZXXGMSSu6jfb2_tzqWn9Nm-Ya88Ce0/w640-h286/StormySunset.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a beautiful twilight and the river was like glass.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>After Nick and Wendy left us on Saturday morning to head up to Charles DeGaulle Airport for a Sunday return to the U.S., we mostly just took it easy. The wind returned, and although it wasn't rainy, the cloud cover made it a bit cool and we were happy to mostly hang out on the boat at the port. We went to dinner on Saturday night with friends Jonathan and Jeannie (of the barge Aleau), and after a "movie night" on their boat on Sunday, we bid them farewell on Monday as they left Auxerre and headed north on the Yonne to continue their cruising season before settling into Port Arsenal in Paris in October. We hope to be able to see them in Paris before we return to Florida in early October.</div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-70456224957413246852023-07-31T12:52:00.000-07:002024-01-03T07:33:48.208-08:00Settled and Unsettled<p>Our current life in Auxerre could be described as both "settled" and "unsettled." We've quickly "settled" into living in Auxerre and not moving the boat from day-to-day; we've not even had to adjust our location on the quay. We've experienced no earth-shattering events, but we have been enjoying our slow perusal of the city's sites, the occasional movie and dining out, and using our bikes for a couple of exploratory trips outside of the city limits.</p><p>What's been "unsettled" has been the weather this past week--rain or the threat of rain most days, quite breezy, and temperatures more like early June than late July. (Not complaining about that, though, as we've no wish to experience the extreme heat that has enveloped southern Europe this year.) We have family coming for a few days this week and want to be able to take them out for a day cruise, but we're a little discouraged by the weather forecast for the next week, which looks like a continuation of the wet and windy pattern. What's also unsettled (although "not settled" is probably a better way of putting it) is the electrical problem on the boat. The electrician should be back from vacation next week, so hopefully we can get him on site sooner rather than later. But we also have the problem that the new batteries that were delivered to us last week were not what we had ordered, so the order mix-up has to be resolved.</p><p>Auxerre continues to please us. The tourist office's walking tour is rather extensive--Auxerre's historical center is, after all, the second largest protected area in Burgundy--so we spent parts of three days exploring different sections of the route (and still have more to do). One of the major stops was at the Saint-Germain Abbey, which currently houses the Art and History Museum. It is a former Benedictine monastery, founded in the 5th century and dedicated to its founder, the bishop of Auxerre, who died in 448.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYONeHStkrzqSW2gm7BsDGlY9czBkfZVdjYnQNj53X9HzEf98JvU4mluX-5AVllwzVQj8XXwmTJRjLBgSzxgcYUr0ZefR3M3Hlh1HCvpKs8TdG5pmY9-G4Jn-OL06xCSZZpGK1RlnUUrCdotMC9IPtwnhvqVCVVzO5Fiy5oIiMKDUk_9eTC8lKFwuOLrI/s2582/ChurchInterior.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2582" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYONeHStkrzqSW2gm7BsDGlY9czBkfZVdjYnQNj53X9HzEf98JvU4mluX-5AVllwzVQj8XXwmTJRjLBgSzxgcYUr0ZefR3M3Hlh1HCvpKs8TdG5pmY9-G4Jn-OL06xCSZZpGK1RlnUUrCdotMC9IPtwnhvqVCVVzO5Fiy5oIiMKDUk_9eTC8lKFwuOLrI/w305-h400/ChurchInterior.JPG" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior of the Abbey church. The present church<br />was built in the 13th century.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAOEQkmSbtoDYRZUgrI7QNsQ1OyI3yh4TuC0vF5ApmJb--BNZoEXPHrRfpYKDtTOvr4FJBDUnskHtV3j6R8A1mbh9McUrV6D1jXPaA3TVfyrmNw6qjYvknkjoouAv8n8mtrPJicqngw8SagpxTneljvpoBmpNZH78AeyPbPbgs_9ebwUAhTCE5GtjlVg/s2506/CryptAbbey.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1692" data-original-width="2506" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAOEQkmSbtoDYRZUgrI7QNsQ1OyI3yh4TuC0vF5ApmJb--BNZoEXPHrRfpYKDtTOvr4FJBDUnskHtV3j6R8A1mbh9McUrV6D1jXPaA3TVfyrmNw6qjYvknkjoouAv8n8mtrPJicqngw8SagpxTneljvpoBmpNZH78AeyPbPbgs_9ebwUAhTCE5GtjlVg/w400-h270/CryptAbbey.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most fascinating was the cellar that was accessed from the back of<br />the church. It contains vestiges of earlier constructions on the church and . . . </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WEfdqJHFHqeHYD7NE7hF4r3KOqaaBNmrVATIj17BfQyxpcHkCSZRkgiAtUsTvBxVSoM77eU7uybywlpwQiFF3nn0C7Wvyjxv-6W-9YgACDpSCfOnypbzim8reDoSnEdVzjzwmQcfUNplZFJmgZCroc3mjPd3EaGDH6iuZUzDHuGxYcFWKH0tYjogmOU/s2275/MerovingianSarcophogi.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2275" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WEfdqJHFHqeHYD7NE7hF4r3KOqaaBNmrVATIj17BfQyxpcHkCSZRkgiAtUsTvBxVSoM77eU7uybywlpwQiFF3nn0C7Wvyjxv-6W-9YgACDpSCfOnypbzim8reDoSnEdVzjzwmQcfUNplZFJmgZCroc3mjPd3EaGDH6iuZUzDHuGxYcFWKH0tYjogmOU/w346-h400/MerovingianSarcophogi.JPG" width="346" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">. . . sarcophagi dating from the 6th to the 9th centuries.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlnGvZKVcI7DaUjF7dyjDGk7zCmQbSQkKsTalc6gl5RzFGRtqVC7TlRtJitRQFOtiQ3tp_TKDXNO4Uq7fAL5W4oLga6WUgu_mIm5tKxDZ7P-In0jm-TXtRz4omfkKfupcyDCCTXh7wRVM_fL-ALsrS1Gl8Fkt7NKwq4Lsdi3_PUOsQO_m6eZjCAvKJm8/s2624/Monastic1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2624" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlnGvZKVcI7DaUjF7dyjDGk7zCmQbSQkKsTalc6gl5RzFGRtqVC7TlRtJitRQFOtiQ3tp_TKDXNO4Uq7fAL5W4oLga6WUgu_mIm5tKxDZ7P-In0jm-TXtRz4omfkKfupcyDCCTXh7wRVM_fL-ALsrS1Gl8Fkt7NKwq4Lsdi3_PUOsQO_m6eZjCAvKJm8/w400-h296/Monastic1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parts of the Abbey cloister date to the 12th century; this area in<br />classical style was rebuilt in the 17th C.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1B-UNm363p_ORV7GEjt3PNyK3m4f3ZSPernVV5AD0oyVl2YEV9x5RIP0ECMFL9nNXE_8TFlv2kUSB9PQ2sPJcx2mDvaSJYKgTUS9t1hY_qrRWgJZFPmoqJsWQQ0StW3da_oKzlZQuelR3J9bPNlGTylQsiNv8WYePNm6F4XhfQMLtQYCa2NbR9WzEaHA/s1968/StDenisand%20his%20head.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1959" data-original-width="1968" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1B-UNm363p_ORV7GEjt3PNyK3m4f3ZSPernVV5AD0oyVl2YEV9x5RIP0ECMFL9nNXE_8TFlv2kUSB9PQ2sPJcx2mDvaSJYKgTUS9t1hY_qrRWgJZFPmoqJsWQQ0StW3da_oKzlZQuelR3J9bPNlGTylQsiNv8WYePNm6F4XhfQMLtQYCa2NbR9WzEaHA/w400-h399/StDenisand%20his%20head.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The abbey church houses a number of very old religious artifacts,<br />including this 15th century stone figure of St. Denis.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEDkTk3WsNZtagzun0JWyMfOoT0CvBsJzZ-to6VDWNVXJ83beglaukZMWszZ1IOij7a7Am1hvCQ91ixAatJylU05_6UFMYWEdQREA5bppbxfHn-k6og-uxs-H5_Bg7fwLU1DPVJ0WXUrGRT9IpljzHcEu-JuEJO0e3MmARjurbkxQCzMtBwKaabI2R-g/s2624/ViewTowardAbbey.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1785" data-original-width="2624" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEDkTk3WsNZtagzun0JWyMfOoT0CvBsJzZ-to6VDWNVXJ83beglaukZMWszZ1IOij7a7Am1hvCQ91ixAatJylU05_6UFMYWEdQREA5bppbxfHn-k6og-uxs-H5_Bg7fwLU1DPVJ0WXUrGRT9IpljzHcEu-JuEJO0e3MmARjurbkxQCzMtBwKaabI2R-g/w640-h435/ViewTowardAbbey.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Saint-Germain abbey church is visible above the Auxerre skyline, as is<br />the adjacent 12th century tower of Saint Jean.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The oldest part of the abbey is its 9th century Carolingian crypt, built around the tomb of Saint Germain. Access to the crypt is possible only with a guided tour, which we didn't have time for on the day we were there. It's definitely something that we'll be returning to the abbey to do.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH90vh0_A9hYGnZ1_C1iypUk6aKXSFqhRRljqEiA6E07eYJLYwnZmxSYy8UGZh5hAraMYttcEjD4bJCoD5LFw5stipPXRd9GrQUVJDkQfYPwKP2LdHJcU-SMfd18bebiM2HzHwevZ4EmiXKa3gZBqw07XTOS9XTspbIgFeBZ9-DPhnZDRbzepe3ABXrM0/s2327/BarberSymbols.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2327" data-original-width="1806" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH90vh0_A9hYGnZ1_C1iypUk6aKXSFqhRRljqEiA6E07eYJLYwnZmxSYy8UGZh5hAraMYttcEjD4bJCoD5LFw5stipPXRd9GrQUVJDkQfYPwKP2LdHJcU-SMfd18bebiM2HzHwevZ4EmiXKa3gZBqw07XTOS9XTspbIgFeBZ9-DPhnZDRbzepe3ABXrM0/w310-h400/BarberSymbols.JPG" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The carved coat of arms on a 16th C. house, the <br />scissors and comb denoting<br />the location of a former barber and hairdresser shop.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFlEsELi1GSsJpzzmXp6MAAKkBVbFF7AoTp6ooPpVK0C8UzaHIzMjyNhTPTN1QyjzjQcioHRuQspEJdACZynLorm1M9ZAB-juZjuZMo5t-IYqDxIzjhr8JRinsr500sDUo-9xNHaGklRZB41lpeOtbC_Y_bpNt0zK_bQ8aJ_wXbNtjGir128QiR7y2Zc/s2945/CharlesSurugue.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2945" data-original-width="1765" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFlEsELi1GSsJpzzmXp6MAAKkBVbFF7AoTp6ooPpVK0C8UzaHIzMjyNhTPTN1QyjzjQcioHRuQspEJdACZynLorm1M9ZAB-juZjuZMo5t-IYqDxIzjhr8JRinsr500sDUo-9xNHaGklRZB41lpeOtbC_Y_bpNt0zK_bQ8aJ_wXbNtjGir128QiR7y2Zc/w240-h400/CharlesSurugue.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A statue honoring Charles Surugue, former mayor<br />of Auxerre, who enlisted in the French army in<br />1915 at the age of 76. He was the oldest<br />soldier in the Great War.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMlpfLnrrgAdCLcX97KGwMg8ssowe0Pnj00C6SLA1-MsiF89I_BYuEHqvpgWBCHWoPvhZJuT68X5ZqTM6MtYKkgN9dXvExMY3oPg3lbEFi0UgZPr7cxYKyjbmbJQOwEp_xh6dXUAAIHXCxhHq9RXB4QWtzmLoCmNj-rN9OiaoEMLfhjFtEIqu_E4RKvE/s3989/PlaceDuCoched-eau.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="3989" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMlpfLnrrgAdCLcX97KGwMg8ssowe0Pnj00C6SLA1-MsiF89I_BYuEHqvpgWBCHWoPvhZJuT68X5ZqTM6MtYKkgN9dXvExMY3oPg3lbEFi0UgZPr7cxYKyjbmbJQOwEp_xh6dXUAAIHXCxhHq9RXB4QWtzmLoCmNj-rN9OiaoEMLfhjFtEIqu_E4RKvE/w640-h288/PlaceDuCoched-eau.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The abbey overlooks the Place du Coche d'eau in the Marine neighborhood near the Yonne waterfront. The building with peach-colored timbers was a passenger barge house (maison du coche d'eau). The bottom floors in stone were a warehouse, and the upper floors in timber contained apartments.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3shaMQvtSSkHyyqG381bVJH0OPYnChkO5edGJNvfZpksYLDpzzC3Tn7rlKIaH_mU7LOLdIJPzf3AEG1H-XTu5sGoIxhZq3XicTaJypLHM-lrqhKW90yACKGvkTfbLSY50V9PPFy5uXpTLHYD7kpDpF8wAyqGR2cT0UqzkeAQVhvPV2Takp0DvVEbLolQ/s3486/rainbow.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3486" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3shaMQvtSSkHyyqG381bVJH0OPYnChkO5edGJNvfZpksYLDpzzC3Tn7rlKIaH_mU7LOLdIJPzf3AEG1H-XTu5sGoIxhZq3XicTaJypLHM-lrqhKW90yACKGvkTfbLSY50V9PPFy5uXpTLHYD7kpDpF8wAyqGR2cT0UqzkeAQVhvPV2Takp0DvVEbLolQ/w344-h400/rainbow.jpg" width="344" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There had been a double rainbow just before Lon<br />snapped the photo; too bad he missed it.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZezJ5DAY2v_ucckJucruIaMHoRhksPH7O1sd7-2QEKPwhXi9-GbSuJOpJ6n9tWTdPwc2FPGsJ3XfAfacF9KtoBOycQOiIPCgHtJCF3CBJV2EJwJF7s9MW48xWFHK9besKQLIU-BLeMnilcb3kMrK39k8j9chwevqxT8ZGd8L_Mvx9ucm2wT8wDA15Xo/s2195/ShoppingST1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2195" data-original-width="1636" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZezJ5DAY2v_ucckJucruIaMHoRhksPH7O1sd7-2QEKPwhXi9-GbSuJOpJ6n9tWTdPwc2FPGsJ3XfAfacF9KtoBOycQOiIPCgHtJCF3CBJV2EJwJF7s9MW48xWFHK9besKQLIU-BLeMnilcb3kMrK39k8j9chwevqxT8ZGd8L_Mvx9ucm2wT8wDA15Xo/w299-h400/ShoppingST1.JPG" width="299" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auxerre old town center.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqI4mxLkgXcg8QE2yCoYULNJltYs-GTvnRAdLDlAt_iID_jSyAx64WI6tY7pWXVisu0JXKCBhRlotr5_r5TkGGtmYB4fq7T6SqEjfvxNWj1jGkAKBJXfryRnRF-3WBmdLsjnIgLHLom7ux3rbm_vMMx63evJBAmFQrCjpPF0QjbDZ-Ci4p2hmXdklkWe8/s2624/ShoppingSt2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1694" data-original-width="2624" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqI4mxLkgXcg8QE2yCoYULNJltYs-GTvnRAdLDlAt_iID_jSyAx64WI6tY7pWXVisu0JXKCBhRlotr5_r5TkGGtmYB4fq7T6SqEjfvxNWj1jGkAKBJXfryRnRF-3WBmdLsjnIgLHLom7ux3rbm_vMMx63evJBAmFQrCjpPF0QjbDZ-Ci4p2hmXdklkWe8/w400-h259/ShoppingSt2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was probably one of the heaviest concentrations of<br />timbered houses in town.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMokTRx8He5tzOEMmYpwijRathV6dTPZmFDYnZ4tdnut1cjgMXWHQx8pVjunmRFaFVAUmYM7r-aQ9j8QPK4hbP0pL4o8ZrAzPBZaqib1g6_zZyHQph7ezs_3ycL1u3_5IFQdZZXacKC2B2Z7hQQwhbgvCKGeG39CaVbsK4VFPdzYA9YZ0BMhxi9x97yTM/s2007/StPierreExt.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2007" data-original-width="1968" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMokTRx8He5tzOEMmYpwijRathV6dTPZmFDYnZ4tdnut1cjgMXWHQx8pVjunmRFaFVAUmYM7r-aQ9j8QPK4hbP0pL4o8ZrAzPBZaqib1g6_zZyHQph7ezs_3ycL1u3_5IFQdZZXacKC2B2Z7hQQwhbgvCKGeG39CaVbsK4VFPdzYA9YZ0BMhxi9x97yTM/w286-h291/StPierreExt.JPG" width="286" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saint-Pierre Church. The 16th and 17th century<br />church is on the site of a 6th century basilica (that<br />became part of an 11th century monastery).<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_bqinapUJAtlKCbQsT-tQAKPOteAQaxNPNTbcq3bzV_EUNHYoTt3JZ0O3VCn7FRLUIweFThX7BEWrm6vLfGooXRtSCBLVwTqFtQnQHIN5P524zq-KZv__bmYgUM4EnuUv-MRxQdLLegIe1tuPluwU7k1Rv7WDXwCh4Tuif4Z5vshc325jMT0O1WOgP0c/s2624/EgliseSTPierre.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1952" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_bqinapUJAtlKCbQsT-tQAKPOteAQaxNPNTbcq3bzV_EUNHYoTt3JZ0O3VCn7FRLUIweFThX7BEWrm6vLfGooXRtSCBLVwTqFtQnQHIN5P524zq-KZv__bmYgUM4EnuUv-MRxQdLLegIe1tuPluwU7k1Rv7WDXwCh4Tuif4Z5vshc325jMT0O1WOgP0c/w298-h400/EgliseSTPierre.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ceiling decorations in Saint-Pierre were<br /> stupendous. Not bad for a church whose<br />parishioners were wine-growers and butchers.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>On Thursday, July 27, we had the pleasure of hosting Dutch friends from Haarlem, Netherlands for a few hours. They love vacationing in the south of France and stopped by Auxerre to say "hello" as they made their way to the Mediterranean. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqJkF2R98RlktQ9IkM92nEP0IfHC8Cni5eHoBkx3WPM9TDSzUinfG7bg7diB2uWiZF1tBFk2iGe46KV495NBzbIGY4T5TG9c_BJP9dPMrCKJXTHb-OUVcU5_Nx_KGa9xOEV9BbuFwqyzjkU7u7gybV3QnjGdmWWSN-mSFK_0h0-GQRAxPfdpr-vOjbtA/s2624/DutchVisitors.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1780" data-original-width="2624" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqJkF2R98RlktQ9IkM92nEP0IfHC8Cni5eHoBkx3WPM9TDSzUinfG7bg7diB2uWiZF1tBFk2iGe46KV495NBzbIGY4T5TG9c_BJP9dPMrCKJXTHb-OUVcU5_Nx_KGa9xOEV9BbuFwqyzjkU7u7gybV3QnjGdmWWSN-mSFK_0h0-GQRAxPfdpr-vOjbtA/w400-h271/DutchVisitors.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We always love our reunions with Suze, Rosa, Yolanda and Joost.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Yesterday, Sunday, July 30, the weather finally allowed us to venture a bit further afield. We decided to visit a couple of places that we'd had to skip when we turned back to Auxerre to deal with the boat's electrical issues. To get to our first stop of the day we cycled south along the Nivernais Canal, nearly to where we'd overnighted on our shortened trip.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEiygVITvr45sE93_uTBzZlcJUkvL-bwpQCVYVRg7CI1CceYl4uUOVbTggfVU_9M8pGUQBhanQ6PpN8cISIIXeoanJdyRotK1ZoWm4nq8Sz9773RV_ll-js59AyWTMm-4dax-8sMmUfqZthBgV8uXuHZj3VwwabN7OUyHbJwYUC6nfYQ_7Y4KKw10RmM/s4080/Biking.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2862" data-original-width="4080" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEiygVITvr45sE93_uTBzZlcJUkvL-bwpQCVYVRg7CI1CceYl4uUOVbTggfVU_9M8pGUQBhanQ6PpN8cISIIXeoanJdyRotK1ZoWm4nq8Sz9773RV_ll-js59AyWTMm-4dax-8sMmUfqZthBgV8uXuHZj3VwwabN7OUyHbJwYUC6nfYQ_7Y4KKw10RmM/w400-h280/Biking.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thirty minutes by bike to get to this spot on the Nivernais--<br />when we did it by boat it took us nearly 4 hours.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>On Google Maps and on its "welcome" building, our touristic goal in Escolives-Sainte-Camille, 10 km south of Auxerre, was identified by the rather non-descript name of "Site Archeologique". The chance discovery in 1955 of Merovingian burials in the roots of a tree that had been pulled out of the ground led to excavations that uncovered the remains of a Roman villa under the 350 or so graves in the Merovingian necropolis. Now called Villa Scoliva, the villa/farm was located near the old Roman road Via Agrippa (which is now the French highway D249) and had been occupied from the end of the 1st century to the end of the 5th century.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGA3LyoQfwHCtO6a0Aus6hs8IHcofUrtUKjlGrWxrD6ZdenbnFuIAs3jo_FZfAHBTR3iNPu1PNgxI5Gdk11EEC7yZnhw33dQ35yuzg3ekPdwGvbXh7xa_D8ET1rg4HqJhAgOkrGU5A6hKKtNGoaM19qHFewG3QFmM0tKNxNUuaX8IGhd2gHejtVUf1ps/s2624/SiteArcheologique.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1780" data-original-width="2624" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGA3LyoQfwHCtO6a0Aus6hs8IHcofUrtUKjlGrWxrD6ZdenbnFuIAs3jo_FZfAHBTR3iNPu1PNgxI5Gdk11EEC7yZnhw33dQ35yuzg3ekPdwGvbXh7xa_D8ET1rg4HqJhAgOkrGU5A6hKKtNGoaM19qHFewG3QFmM0tKNxNUuaX8IGhd2gHejtVUf1ps/w400-h271/SiteArcheologique.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><div>The guide on site was just wonderful. She told us she was only able to do the tour in French because she didn't know the technical archeological jargon in English, but because we arrived 20 minutes before the next scheduled tour was to start, she took just Lon and me into the site (at no charge!). She gave us a whirlwind look at the excavated Roman thermal baths and the separate building with the collection of artifacts, and her grasp of conversational English was enough to give us a rough idea of what we were looking at. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPG2Bzh56Po8HJoYo-PQpX4gplEOPl7qbNNU5lXlvcOAZzExO_s9DMRGTyoOEtKfsqzC1T9bjIaxXjOn4xUN1XQ2LXxY76yvQz78otIVt2kBOh8XDq6r4SPmScZyn7G4EBgWUZ7QvdPh5_mv4OGM9e5jJH4EdpsmWcv0nZqfgy1RaLMxigjWFhLTGBoM/s2624/LonandGuide.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1933" data-original-width="2624" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPG2Bzh56Po8HJoYo-PQpX4gplEOPl7qbNNU5lXlvcOAZzExO_s9DMRGTyoOEtKfsqzC1T9bjIaxXjOn4xUN1XQ2LXxY76yvQz78otIVt2kBOh8XDq6r4SPmScZyn7G4EBgWUZ7QvdPh5_mv4OGM9e5jJH4EdpsmWcv0nZqfgy1RaLMxigjWFhLTGBoM/w400-h295/LonandGuide.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon gets a brief explanation about the thermal baths from<br /> the guide. The foundations of the thermal baths are<br /> the best-preserved part of the villa. They were built at the<br /> beginning of the 1st century and were enlarged in the 4th. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoIlfFLoOKOziOl4rkdSygZ9hFETDYyBHFyYu9IVdrbgVzgmldtCNXKX2lyk8eE9a9I1QC1CWYqHHFFM4kPio2oLR3aC1cNqM3Fqrv8vWtJmBJag9sQaR3ekl88yXHxVr85yS3xqzAnoT5-IVg1-o2Fv8dO1yLVPD2VJPKEf0Gsv_TtyK0yK69y21WC0/s2624/SmBathLatrine.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1613" data-original-width="2624" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoIlfFLoOKOziOl4rkdSygZ9hFETDYyBHFyYu9IVdrbgVzgmldtCNXKX2lyk8eE9a9I1QC1CWYqHHFFM4kPio2oLR3aC1cNqM3Fqrv8vWtJmBJag9sQaR3ekl88yXHxVr85yS3xqzAnoT5-IVg1-o2Fv8dO1yLVPD2VJPKEf0Gsv_TtyK0yK69y21WC0/w400-h246/SmBathLatrine.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small baths and a latrine.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pPS6XiaxDf-O-1f0NVzKG8pcFBCNycoydD63dIOj6F395IF_X0GT_-eSxJQtPeZRyeYDCqJsyUvUJAINIlsDGv4AjSvjJB_rgbAa_aa7pyjuq0PlVNPZpbcQgaCPkXbohRdg3GBSBWYYomWjl92gJHE_gG1LhnYHZ9u_dzs_PiqnkqNOzSoiNfIevxg/s2624/MerovingianBurial.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1879" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pPS6XiaxDf-O-1f0NVzKG8pcFBCNycoydD63dIOj6F395IF_X0GT_-eSxJQtPeZRyeYDCqJsyUvUJAINIlsDGv4AjSvjJB_rgbAa_aa7pyjuq0PlVNPZpbcQgaCPkXbohRdg3GBSBWYYomWjl92gJHE_gG1LhnYHZ9u_dzs_PiqnkqNOzSoiNfIevxg/w286-h400/MerovingianBurial.JPG" width="286" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the Merovingian necropolis.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSelnvA3PDsCt9DnGJoyDDwXLQjf1GNBmELcgo_x1ItGo4dZ3aeTsucivY1fC01Te00wAP0Y6M7nJSJoETNL_ndiK0GoAoJbysE_EhusCz_mztyeJb5Qb3RqLhc0mqTAbAVDSCZyt13evPXDe7qs7FHPHZJZUE7_5OfE5r13VEB_-zp_HGr2pTjDhz0I/s2624/RomanFrags.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="2624" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSelnvA3PDsCt9DnGJoyDDwXLQjf1GNBmELcgo_x1ItGo4dZ3aeTsucivY1fC01Te00wAP0Y6M7nJSJoETNL_ndiK0GoAoJbysE_EhusCz_mztyeJb5Qb3RqLhc0mqTAbAVDSCZyt13evPXDe7qs7FHPHZJZUE7_5OfE5r13VEB_-zp_HGr2pTjDhz0I/w640-h277/RomanFrags.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They had quite a collection of sculpted stone blocks, and carvings from a 2nd century<br />religious sanctuary. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXEIalHVbZrI0VPektJdEWGsGTr5NFxP5FMnO5zz91jHcOnEd_fic5K_Jlf6nBrd5Wfrv0ZrcY3byLgmaeN3ZavaQcC-yokCHhv0q1dkm9KITBM3ekaUFCcSxIhBgUJqTI1jhmrFC7X_yLtdUW7F-3MVxjVilVbbjaCi6IKWW0RVMrq090ALJL0T8wWE/s2624/VillaFresco.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1492" data-original-width="2624" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXEIalHVbZrI0VPektJdEWGsGTr5NFxP5FMnO5zz91jHcOnEd_fic5K_Jlf6nBrd5Wfrv0ZrcY3byLgmaeN3ZavaQcC-yokCHhv0q1dkm9KITBM3ekaUFCcSxIhBgUJqTI1jhmrFC7X_yLtdUW7F-3MVxjVilVbbjaCi6IKWW0RVMrq090ALJL0T8wWE/w400-h228/VillaFresco.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mural found in the residential portion of the villa.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Because the stop at the Roman villa was so quick, we had time to continue to Irancy, one of the wine villages around Auxerre. It was a very quiet town on Sunday morning.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXeQVElC7nSh1nw688vBSzPYnufIFdSdvjan14sr2wQraH_wxiNsgKJsA-yeRQEsd49kyQHoryK6WYFdttxBmFnZbiLmw6TyOAC5qCxneSHnzgj510rELOUrEwMealO8D403b4rhWRX9x5ig0ukSNRUK_WRe38YP84O-Sre8s7NNSJI83zCFBlSOl4WQ/s2624/HosotteWorkshop.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1570" data-original-width="2624" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXeQVElC7nSh1nw688vBSzPYnufIFdSdvjan14sr2wQraH_wxiNsgKJsA-yeRQEsd49kyQHoryK6WYFdttxBmFnZbiLmw6TyOAC5qCxneSHnzgj510rELOUrEwMealO8D403b4rhWRX9x5ig0ukSNRUK_WRe38YP84O-Sre8s7NNSJI83zCFBlSOl4WQ/w400-h239/HosotteWorkshop.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Studio and gallery of artist Georges Hosotte, whose gallery<br />in the Chapelle de Bailly I had visited previously. It wasn't<br />open for visitors until later in the day.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGzjHWdJswSv5lRwn_JowV7Q5PShGMu6MJNzD6m9T60HqJTQNyN2fhCZENF8xlh5WhUSrKM_0wwY6_0UAcrDVrw4rW-jkcYSEzbirA8ylfbwmTwA9oZLUDg99V0ru4zfWtZc2tic81Xdo3Jgkl_CHYTrzCQZtmuByrPk5_ZsBaJfeEnnctlLQlot72j8/s4080/IrancyCave.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2678" data-original-width="4080" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGzjHWdJswSv5lRwn_JowV7Q5PShGMu6MJNzD6m9T60HqJTQNyN2fhCZENF8xlh5WhUSrKM_0wwY6_0UAcrDVrw4rW-jkcYSEzbirA8ylfbwmTwA9oZLUDg99V0ru4zfWtZc2tic81Xdo3Jgkl_CHYTrzCQZtmuByrPk5_ZsBaJfeEnnctlLQlot72j8/w400-h263/IrancyCave.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Irancy is known for pinot noir wine. There were several wine<br />houses in the village. It reminded us of the villages we visited in <br />the Champagne region.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Y_CN2Ay2wqbvuLdfKX3gIZ7CVgIOIGEJcywT1U9BlDYZMwtWsNg8Ujxxm6Ubb8bPC5kupOpd3ntC3mWrmZMl31rdPOVdzpk0-UxH7YdZbXIyaIXij2QYNM5G7dAgY_0CZKFO24juYiOHybXyEYYFw7zE7Jyeh3V6kxJFytNn3Vewf_wOsMgxHopZt4s/s2475/IrancyChurch.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Y_CN2Ay2wqbvuLdfKX3gIZ7CVgIOIGEJcywT1U9BlDYZMwtWsNg8Ujxxm6Ubb8bPC5kupOpd3ntC3mWrmZMl31rdPOVdzpk0-UxH7YdZbXIyaIXij2QYNM5G7dAgY_0CZKFO24juYiOHybXyEYYFw7zE7Jyeh3V6kxJFytNn3Vewf_wOsMgxHopZt4s/w318-h400/IrancyChurch.JPG" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Saint-Germain church (12th - 18th C.),<br />was an unusual shape. No entry to be had for us, as<br />Sunday services were taking place.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqSCrFjiINogjjjPB9yaWjWqTZzyncGjSWByaoiA2wwmUMNwsCzJ5nOtq_59deV0qS-dnXzk-ExFTSNktYjxJH3IfAZXaAxoG69lRgIPWCHberLFwvnMEj8L_OlNBxP36WmFsNkYEUCQH8S4dMzGUFzfDNJf5KeHxfbfpizG_2RzzQ51Mx7gzoQAC7AE/s4056/LonIrancy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4056" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqSCrFjiINogjjjPB9yaWjWqTZzyncGjSWByaoiA2wwmUMNwsCzJ5nOtq_59deV0qS-dnXzk-ExFTSNktYjxJH3IfAZXaAxoG69lRgIPWCHberLFwvnMEj8L_OlNBxP36WmFsNkYEUCQH8S4dMzGUFzfDNJf5KeHxfbfpizG_2RzzQ51Mx7gzoQAC7AE/w301-h400/LonIrancy.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon waits for me to finish taking pictures.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJCCsSOOBTKBhTJC8esh0x-ah7Gvvb-0WLtLw787hezDzJfL9b1vzJ21W9T9PHmlRlq4eBIQExZSPJjQfR7H4opvAAHU96wlhGQUjISijOruBEBSOUqRtniFuosJ2SkRmhK0MFC32t66dVfubIIcT-eHFPkEBh4Meekhj-r1v7uLA8QuHOP41oFeQPWE/s4080/Vineyards.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2346" data-original-width="4080" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJCCsSOOBTKBhTJC8esh0x-ah7Gvvb-0WLtLw787hezDzJfL9b1vzJ21W9T9PHmlRlq4eBIQExZSPJjQfR7H4opvAAHU96wlhGQUjISijOruBEBSOUqRtniFuosJ2SkRmhK0MFC32t66dVfubIIcT-eHFPkEBh4Meekhj-r1v7uLA8QuHOP41oFeQPWE/w640-h368/Vineyards.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What would a wine village be without the surrounding vineyards?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We enjoyed the country biking, but we were also ready for a lunch stop at the Creperie le Lavoir in the canalside village of Vincelles. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9JWVFAe9or_mEt2eEAShQ0-RSGcejaBCrQEsNGn8jW6kMPBThfr8vG2xDiarO0FIoovfHY6UN-QF_gfXRoNmAd3GArlQ43XBBqbrKB9b8b5tO4wnLWsIhxOltoTd7xeWGlKUXOAFShL-LR-K34abPK6_h7Efpu3VR_K1zADYGGS-0iJpOwia2Y4NCGQ/s2624/WAitingForCrepes.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1948" data-original-width="2624" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9JWVFAe9or_mEt2eEAShQ0-RSGcejaBCrQEsNGn8jW6kMPBThfr8vG2xDiarO0FIoovfHY6UN-QF_gfXRoNmAd3GArlQ43XBBqbrKB9b8b5tO4wnLWsIhxOltoTd7xeWGlKUXOAFShL-LR-K34abPK6_h7Efpu3VR_K1zADYGGS-0iJpOwia2Y4NCGQ/w400-h297/WAitingForCrepes.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By the time we stopped for lunch the sun had almost <br />disappeared, and had we been sitting exposed to the breeze<br />we would have been uncomfortable. It was definitely jacket<br />weather.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-48861706283299848022023-07-23T08:38:00.001-07:002024-01-03T07:22:44.508-08:00Too Good to Last<p>It is said that all good things must come to an end, and so is with our string of "things working out the way we hoped" this cruising season in France. </p><p>When we plotted out the "big picture" for what we wanted to do this summer on the boat, it was pretty simple: two weeks in Cergy to prep the boat; five weeks to cruise the Oise, Aisne, and Marne on our way to three weeks in Paris; and a Seine-Yonne cruise to get us to Auxerre by mid-July for the DBA Rally. We assiduously tried to avoid calling this a "pl*n", instead, jokingly, calling this a "hope" or "aspiration." And it worked--we had a marvelous three months with nary a glitch. </p><p>The time after the Rally was always a bit of a blank slate waiting to be filled. We had already reserved a winter slot at the Port de Plaisance in Auxerre, but with no specific start date. We knew we would be having visitors for a few days at the beginning of August, which would give us at least a couple of weeks to cruise before their arrival. As indicated in the last blog entry, we decided to spend that time cruising on the Nivernais canal (essentially a canalized continuation of the Yonne River) before returning to Auxerre to meet up with our guests.</p><p>We spent three nights at the Port in Auxerre after the Rally. It was nice--we had plenty of time for the "usual" preparatory chores of grocery shopping and laundry, socialized with other DBA members coming and going from the Port as they continued their own cruising seasons, and even went to a movie.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqimSudwQwsMA113LZGsXesnqXPACSIRdfk8VgwCRWypmNXCw_VIUL9w2jXIPRJcxs7_XdnqifkJHohY-tBG5FPdqCLPxFR9bzoK6ZuCbCipY4P3Me8P9ZyKIPsDfNFZuOB0YosFb3o3hG2m_b7gNDIcbwenWNRzq80wwatcsaQClG6KrKiu5PvKzzbxI/s4080/CARIBAuxerre.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqimSudwQwsMA113LZGsXesnqXPACSIRdfk8VgwCRWypmNXCw_VIUL9w2jXIPRJcxs7_XdnqifkJHohY-tBG5FPdqCLPxFR9bzoK6ZuCbCipY4P3Me8P9ZyKIPsDfNFZuOB0YosFb3o3hG2m_b7gNDIcbwenWNRzq80wwatcsaQClG6KrKiu5PvKzzbxI/w400-h300/CARIBAuxerre.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a privilege to always have a waterfront view.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZlb8bCYFq2h4UUD3MO_tuPo2OfpVKGgWVR3XmAt_uDhk4CifUEmRe3WTulDtJDVpIqH9Nfz41rBa5BQMwl42BbGRHzdJAL8m512a5Elh98D6IYgVNlxbPf-U4pSaQEAurqJrgCCAnx6UtNbmktdOAMRwB-ZLNVp86RvNnxsnpBCSZ4h3_Z9cL5hiPfs/s4080/PatTheater.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2767" data-original-width="4080" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZlb8bCYFq2h4UUD3MO_tuPo2OfpVKGgWVR3XmAt_uDhk4CifUEmRe3WTulDtJDVpIqH9Nfz41rBa5BQMwl42BbGRHzdJAL8m512a5Elh98D6IYgVNlxbPf-U4pSaQEAurqJrgCCAnx6UtNbmktdOAMRwB-ZLNVp86RvNnxsnpBCSZ4h3_Z9cL5hiPfs/w400-h271/PatTheater.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wednesday, 5 p.m.: the English-language version of the<br />new Indiana Jones movie was not well-attended. It was just<br />Lon and me up until show time, when 3 other people joined<br />us. So-so movie, nice theater.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We had inklings of trouble when we cast off from Auxerre on Thursday morning, July 20. The bow thruster sounded anemic and wasn't producing the usual volume of water power. It wasn't enough of a problem to stop cruising, so we continued on. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thursday was a busy day for boats on the canal. We had 7 locks to pass through before reaching our intended destination for the day at Bailly (the same village where we had the tour of the Crémant cave the week before), and at nearly every lock we encountered rental boats, usually in multiples, when we exited. </div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQayA8OtK1QQSy3-bXDrZwqffnRLoO0MZmVLss_RcabdieQlOH-tcZtYAR2iggPxzI2THFAEFqeGQG1S79-ucwrnin-U7jZVw1Jg9-7Wn1pYe1ZnIMzZLROQG_jvIiY7p1161u8_J6uKPO_PZJ61i3rEsybguTqb3hSqaNzFxm1HIE1p_qqgg1915v6PQ/s2624/3Boats.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1571" data-original-width="2624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQayA8OtK1QQSy3-bXDrZwqffnRLoO0MZmVLss_RcabdieQlOH-tcZtYAR2iggPxzI2THFAEFqeGQG1S79-ucwrnin-U7jZVw1Jg9-7Wn1pYe1ZnIMzZLROQG_jvIiY7p1161u8_J6uKPO_PZJ61i3rEsybguTqb3hSqaNzFxm1HIE1p_qqgg1915v6PQ/w400-h240/3Boats.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At our second lock of the day, we had 3 boats waiting as we<br />left the lock. It wasn't an easy passage--the narrow waterway <br />was rocky and shallow to starboard (on our right).</td></tr></tbody></table> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEtKJHkBCGjGfuTZFFaSf6lHzLvOAQZTLhOTQ4xSjad9bcIgPMW80bcG1c2CMet0ZrndQF3hDy8V_Ywu4otUHgbYhCF4VXRzvviNTc84ZOoFe-Mg0wiKFZSICVFWuUlgU8cka7KPUlRnKqE3N3ybcJb6Mf09-2p1kimz6mKcLSbNWWj2ZV1xxjKkHdGg/s2624/P1050334.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEtKJHkBCGjGfuTZFFaSf6lHzLvOAQZTLhOTQ4xSjad9bcIgPMW80bcG1c2CMet0ZrndQF3hDy8V_Ywu4otUHgbYhCF4VXRzvviNTc84ZOoFe-Mg0wiKFZSICVFWuUlgU8cka7KPUlRnKqE3N3ybcJb6Mf09-2p1kimz6mKcLSbNWWj2ZV1xxjKkHdGg/w400-h300/P1050334.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting and passing a large hotel barge in a narrow and <br />shallow (we bumped bottom in one section) part of the Nivernais.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />When we moored on the quay in Bailly, Lon's initial check of the bow thruster wasn't especially informative. He found a couple of loose connections that he tightened, but left the main investigation to the following day. By then, the bow thruster had no electrical power to it at all. Disconcertingly, his further search found two blown fuses in the electrical system, one of which was to the alternator that normally would charge our batteries when we were underway. As well, the voltage of two of our four house batteries was nearly zero. We needed to get a stand-alone battery charger to test whether the batteries were totally fried, or whether they could be recharged and hold a charge, so we cycled a short way to the village of Vincelles to borrow a charger from our friends Ian and Lisette on Catherina Elisabeth, who were moored there.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKdi-A9iPfvOn1xsV9QnYfvPz7P0hkVHrSzaCVoDTsIQFGCiOCW_aozCpeOMHgIWclYBxulvXIqaXZ4XIFEC8bRB1AhFp9BbWaLCJk2YnKSLCqPPfQCaslHBkyKdq2BCOZ4vFygG4Yikncj0WtfRLO7WBzBvF9u_vvt1udgLyQZRT356Gofw1YcF_AkI/s4080/20230721_144734.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKdi-A9iPfvOn1xsV9QnYfvPz7P0hkVHrSzaCVoDTsIQFGCiOCW_aozCpeOMHgIWclYBxulvXIqaXZ4XIFEC8bRB1AhFp9BbWaLCJk2YnKSLCqPPfQCaslHBkyKdq2BCOZ4vFygG4Yikncj0WtfRLO7WBzBvF9u_vvt1udgLyQZRT356Gofw1YcF_AkI/w300-h400/20230721_144734.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a beautiful afternoon for biking; too bad<br />we weren't able to do it strictly for pleasure.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The bad news was that one battery seemed to be kaput--it wouldn't hold a charge at all. The second battery could be charged, but we weren't sure if it was compromised by having been connected to the totally dead battery. The good news was that our other two large house batteries seemed fine and were supplying power to most of our critical systems--navigation instruments, refrigerator, range, etc.--and were being recharged by our solar panels. The "bad" batteries were responsible for powering the bow thruster and our Kabola heating system. Much as we'd hoped to explore further up the Nivernais, we decided that if there were room for us at the port in Auxerre we would cruise back there on Saturday, July 22. At least there we would be hooked up to electricity and we would have a much better chance to order new batteries and arrange for an electrician to find the reason(s) for the blown fuses and dead battery.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Akk8ur03-qBW-ZPV_ZXr1nKEXYRARdOoUE8AoREUJI9US2sjmFtasfWU7hgh6HgtEsbeurRgeZjIiTGCBFhPtaayl1RjVLpY0NNo9_KWlkuE7Y9yQdqIj6I_jKstnPOAsIgyREg9hoLoUA96FyySjnMprvKUxupPFGeTEtxw2xXvfIrNgiDRq68dxzg/s4080/20230721_114051.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Akk8ur03-qBW-ZPV_ZXr1nKEXYRARdOoUE8AoREUJI9US2sjmFtasfWU7hgh6HgtEsbeurRgeZjIiTGCBFhPtaayl1RjVLpY0NNo9_KWlkuE7Y9yQdqIj6I_jKstnPOAsIgyREg9hoLoUA96FyySjnMprvKUxupPFGeTEtxw2xXvfIrNgiDRq68dxzg/w300-h400/20230721_114051.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While Lon was working on CARIB, I cycled into<br />the nearby village of Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, <br />with its narrow streets and old buildings.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5cQOnSwl3BVU9P6WOM60e_q585TPwUKN73mMb67oPF5Fsgl5pVcESpL7IyYfiaNZEMJhtk-58nIlsHCsDvuByryVAs9f47vVIh48Ug3vpEUxSk7-dl7Po8jRCD9p8brFC2IpeDevipKTBx0OBj3OLrt6MLzdRoiswFgJCEIsBZCNqb3znBpKxtTp_hc/s4080/HosotteGallery.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5cQOnSwl3BVU9P6WOM60e_q585TPwUKN73mMb67oPF5Fsgl5pVcESpL7IyYfiaNZEMJhtk-58nIlsHCsDvuByryVAs9f47vVIh48Ug3vpEUxSk7-dl7Po8jRCD9p8brFC2IpeDevipKTBx0OBj3OLrt6MLzdRoiswFgJCEIsBZCNqb3znBpKxtTp_hc/w300-h400/HosotteGallery.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old Chapelle de Bailly in Saint Bris was no<br /> longer functioning as a religious building, but<br />housed an art gallery featuring the works of<br />artist Georges Hosotte, as well as those of his<br />son, Tristan Hosotte.</td></tr></tbody></table> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8MK9zmrSfy35c2faNDsAB72zmxi1vzuYdK9Nl3YtWuaZzwtxix72B3JxqNM9oh3qjCYvB_LSMI1HRQDW0Fyzv5lJcVvNp1VWQoHLibqvPhCJEEz_t7GzQDj9u-L9YRn6ylwUJjjrCuCer2BBQcERSjWFo4c2563TeYEceoa5kyioNo5FKFk5bFtq540/s1600/BoatsBAilly.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8MK9zmrSfy35c2faNDsAB72zmxi1vzuYdK9Nl3YtWuaZzwtxix72B3JxqNM9oh3qjCYvB_LSMI1HRQDW0Fyzv5lJcVvNp1VWQoHLibqvPhCJEEz_t7GzQDj9u-L9YRn6ylwUJjjrCuCer2BBQcERSjWFo4c2563TeYEceoa5kyioNo5FKFk5bFtq540/w400-h300/BoatsBAilly.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had company on Friday night, DBA boats Phoenician and<br />Matilda (and a LocaBoat hire boat). Happy Hour on Matilda turned<br />into a late dinner aboard Phoenician. It was a nice break from <br />thinking about electrical issues. The Cave de Bailly building<br />is visible at the top of the photo.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Our return to Auxerre on Saturday was uneventful. Lon drives really well without the bow thruster, so its unavailability was never a problem. We didn't encounter much boat traffic, and just enjoyed the beautiful day. Southern Europe may be suffering from a heat wave, but the temperatures in our part of France have been perfect for July.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RTy5phfxgbm3W9i-7Zz_kpddwO7woPgPmY0_BAfoG68f3M3ObgtO5ybg0jiBPlrWCHRg_N3selWHy5NZhJk84w4z6D-55mFObDqaTuH73-HORX4Jc-m9-24kCOlEqr1EB1NtvJrm5Vb8tVuZxRrO5ppAwiFc0BAye2WPHCR4bOafJRElk16NKBiRjdc/s2624/Chateau.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RTy5phfxgbm3W9i-7Zz_kpddwO7woPgPmY0_BAfoG68f3M3ObgtO5ybg0jiBPlrWCHRg_N3selWHy5NZhJk84w4z6D-55mFObDqaTuH73-HORX4Jc-m9-24kCOlEqr1EB1NtvJrm5Vb8tVuZxRrO5ppAwiFc0BAye2WPHCR4bOafJRElk16NKBiRjdc/w400-h300/Chateau.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We passed this chateau along the way. What you can't see is<br />the moat that surrounds it.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rl7mm3Olv8gRe9CzhPo6qGLxUt1_ZqwNXrSYu6eKKJ_p-PVo0ojRs9tUm90ccgdymOHy4HVDRNKsDgbYlFgwB_hmnol3QGEOdHJZfFZW11LlWdv-IqNwzaRZVBzT22W3gYFiaI-uBdOtZggin74iMXl55wO0ZjJrUGuwc7-N7UQl4y3u-Aa4dCyWMUQ/s2624/Landscape.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rl7mm3Olv8gRe9CzhPo6qGLxUt1_ZqwNXrSYu6eKKJ_p-PVo0ojRs9tUm90ccgdymOHy4HVDRNKsDgbYlFgwB_hmnol3QGEOdHJZfFZW11LlWdv-IqNwzaRZVBzT22W3gYFiaI-uBdOtZggin74iMXl55wO0ZjJrUGuwc7-N7UQl4y3u-Aa4dCyWMUQ/w400-h300/Landscape.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The railroad bridge and water frame our approach to the lock.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7P86KCNSu3yU41UEeaX4zZ5yN7QEO00QqwMaIzSWXJPqs63dlXfdHKhhgPwageCvsZBnQXsA6qAkudlhoQW_MUd_naNz13vVsBYJmT1mFARxd_wkNzdXStvh582ozluJP7ClZxWeYizRTH4uTIo7jokYQOF7y5VbzxUkzOS7yFOLGEiv3XY2oothqJE/s2624/ManualLocks.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7P86KCNSu3yU41UEeaX4zZ5yN7QEO00QqwMaIzSWXJPqs63dlXfdHKhhgPwageCvsZBnQXsA6qAkudlhoQW_MUd_naNz13vVsBYJmT1mFARxd_wkNzdXStvh582ozluJP7ClZxWeYizRTH4uTIo7jokYQOF7y5VbzxUkzOS7yFOLGEiv3XY2oothqJE/w400-h300/ManualLocks.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The locks on the Nivernais are all manually operated and are fully<br />staffed. Most of the eclusiers were college students for whom it<br />was a summer job. Lon got off the boat when he could to assist<br />with the lock operations and save the eclusiers a few steps.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTN8Q5DqPIqez1ROYNe1pojnqVFOBJlnjgEu4l1Sk0Rb9AL3aMqQXsfhY9N4d24fQXAEgm52XPc6GGbZgbeKmvIVMQekA322whVgzttu2pkihmHvOXRq7fg_u2PqL10Ao5GBFhaTs78uUxEvcgqGQ77lMPRR8bO0LKwkFHSlEb0lJtFFkuNY-ynBWV00/s2624/ParkLock.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTN8Q5DqPIqez1ROYNe1pojnqVFOBJlnjgEu4l1Sk0Rb9AL3aMqQXsfhY9N4d24fQXAEgm52XPc6GGbZgbeKmvIVMQekA322whVgzttu2pkihmHvOXRq7fg_u2PqL10Ao5GBFhaTs78uUxEvcgqGQ77lMPRR8bO0LKwkFHSlEb0lJtFFkuNY-ynBWV00/w400-h300/ParkLock.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching a lock in a park-like setting.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiSiRQh70BmSBRgjO3FcYnbVCNJI1hi1xGGVV1Za8dwJmC3LZItvBlpwCh1XjKMg4mIOSNITswFjMjFogM_6ghmngMoxACQtfGs4VNFTnP9Dcv6sbLNmFmdom2yc0VOkvWidA9MbKmrRHzFjNp8_tPSxypXVmM2UgCcPEgXa43vMngsR5Nlhz9Wa324E/s1968/RedBuoys.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1766" data-original-width="1968" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiSiRQh70BmSBRgjO3FcYnbVCNJI1hi1xGGVV1Za8dwJmC3LZItvBlpwCh1XjKMg4mIOSNITswFjMjFogM_6ghmngMoxACQtfGs4VNFTnP9Dcv6sbLNmFmdom2yc0VOkvWidA9MbKmrRHzFjNp8_tPSxypXVmM2UgCcPEgXa43vMngsR5Nlhz9Wa324E/w400-h359/RedBuoys.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On our way downstream through the shallowest stretch of<br />the Nivernais. Unlike our trip upstream, we neither had to pass<br />a large barge on this narrow stretch, nor did we bump the bottom.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Zl533Mhoa1qdM8dd6UBmTCf1wsiDzkPwgAuPX9X52vXIbr0QbTptmIJgq5vP39KWnXlo-9ZaHNzV44hxYdHesj1cQn_JBAQ06oZU6DEzqsFryMVRFHzW2Tdjs3qYanzo278i8IaWrdeArnZVWQrj1e9e_fHAGZUVSZOJkrZlHCBBbdf-ZB92g4vGWQw/s902/WallLock-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="677" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Zl533Mhoa1qdM8dd6UBmTCf1wsiDzkPwgAuPX9X52vXIbr0QbTptmIJgq5vP39KWnXlo-9ZaHNzV44hxYdHesj1cQn_JBAQ06oZU6DEzqsFryMVRFHzW2Tdjs3qYanzo278i8IaWrdeArnZVWQrj1e9e_fHAGZUVSZOJkrZlHCBBbdf-ZB92g4vGWQw/w480-h640/WallLock-COLLAGE.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Champs-sur-Yonne, the canal leading up to the lock is separated from<br /> the river by a stone wall. We didn't think much about it on our<br /> way upriver, but on our return, it provided a "port in the storm"<br />when we had to stop as the locks closed for lunch, and we were in a<br /> portion of the Nivernais without good options for mooring a boat of our size.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>So, we are now moored again at the Aquarelle port in Auxerre. It's lovely to be under the watchful gaze of the Cathedral, but we wish that the reason for being back early was better. It was so lovely to have had a problem-free cruise up to this point, and it's been a "reality check" to be reminded that "pl*ns" in boating often have to be changed. Lon's efforts this morning have convinced him that he is in territory that is beyond his understanding of marine electricity, so an electrician will need to be consulted. However, as we are now in the vacation season in France, we may have to wait a bit for an electrician to be available. </div><div><br /></div><div>The "lemonade" to be made of this particular lemon is that we have the time and opportunity to explore Auxerre in more detail, take some local bike rides to interesting places, and maybe book a day trip or two to a nearby town on the rail system.</div><div><br /></div></div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-77581017751095174772023-07-18T09:49:00.002-07:002024-01-03T07:17:04.883-08:00The ABC's of a Rally--Auxerre, Barges, Crémant & a Castle <p>The past week has all been about the gathering ("Rally") of the Barge Association (DBA, because it used to be the "Dutch Barge Association", but it's not just barges these days) in Auxerre, France. Auxerre is a town of about 35,000 people in the Burgundy region southeast of Paris. A busy center of commerce and government under the Romans and a former episcopal city, present-day Auxerre has a charming old town that, despite several fires over the centuries, has hundreds of timbered houses and three huge churches, including a cathedral.</p><p>The rally was based in the Arbre Sec Park just upstream of the first lock of the Canal du Nivernais, south of the old town center of Auxerre. There were over 70 attendees, most residing on one of the 24 boats moored at the park, but well over a dozen attended "on foot". </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidW5OEJ2WyF4K--bScAAs0sF-C-_DEMj7-k0jjvXL7jrTMgPfTxg2QRcDqQyChjAMc39dUrL_doM4nAP53aqyHfCWxsJEFS3O7BIjsoETALEoxvN8JGIEtsCWOT_r3vwdUA_I-igEbYm2sFHGAyxlmZl5DfiYbKtVRGAUnb4-BjXsLo6UXPSNFI1h6s_c/s1004/BoatsAerial.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="1004" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidW5OEJ2WyF4K--bScAAs0sF-C-_DEMj7-k0jjvXL7jrTMgPfTxg2QRcDqQyChjAMc39dUrL_doM4nAP53aqyHfCWxsJEFS3O7BIjsoETALEoxvN8JGIEtsCWOT_r3vwdUA_I-igEbYm2sFHGAyxlmZl5DfiYbKtVRGAUnb4-BjXsLo6UXPSNFI1h6s_c/w640-h333/BoatsAerial.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 24 boats moored two-by-two along the park quay. CARIB is on the outside, <br />the 4th boat down from the top left. (Thanks to James and his drone for the photo.)<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PhTzgx-QHNLaZ1l8dWMGn1Xf5v3XbuyKR3LNQYEQgG3rhXkdNYBhNrh40yAhIjjz4lu1I-DYIvjBGE4ZkUaDsc0lOftNDwm1cbnQGuVUcqgL6Ba0WECraZde9riCo50bU3H6B1Z1YyM-hjxsKsIqNA4USdm2GB3dIY8t0mVe00SlSR7vbj19M1UZS_s/s2580/CARIBFlags.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1846" data-original-width="2580" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PhTzgx-QHNLaZ1l8dWMGn1Xf5v3XbuyKR3LNQYEQgG3rhXkdNYBhNrh40yAhIjjz4lu1I-DYIvjBGE4ZkUaDsc0lOftNDwm1cbnQGuVUcqgL6Ba0WECraZde9riCo50bU3H6B1Z1YyM-hjxsKsIqNA4USdm2GB3dIY8t0mVe00SlSR7vbj19M1UZS_s/w400-h286/CARIBFlags.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All dressed up with signal flags.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjq8QWjBX88ZLdjWYQdw0X-AmGPADingcHlKAYQGQ3UlG-oKIN8gAfXYMlZw8MPT95-7IMS2itSFwAGwq-jAlFGYphGJT5uwgjlf02jIaPQjRtn_REAp6HLn2yKV4L01F397kknhwPm6O_ush0y3-WxcQq2eusYh7Z0NFCm6_J57VVmytb_5lYu5bbp78w" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="320" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjq8QWjBX88ZLdjWYQdw0X-AmGPADingcHlKAYQGQ3UlG-oKIN8gAfXYMlZw8MPT95-7IMS2itSFwAGwq-jAlFGYphGJT5uwgjlf02jIaPQjRtn_REAp6HLn2yKV4L01F397kknhwPm6O_ush0y3-WxcQq2eusYh7Z0NFCm6_J57VVmytb_5lYu5bbp78w=w400-h278" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This banner was posted on the boat next to the quay, and <br />contained our pertinent info. It was tough to see much of us behind<br />a 25-meter barge.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Big kudos to the DBA members who organized the gathering, as it was a perfect mix of optional tours, social gatherings, and free time. An opening reception on the evening of Wednesday, July 12, kicked things off. We joined the next day's tour to the Bailly Lapierre Cellars. The "Caves de Bailly" are the center for the production of the sparkling wines known as Crémant de Bourgogne (crémant of Burgundy). Since 1972, the company, an association of winegrowers, has been making crémant in an underground limestone quarry that for several hundred years had been the source of building material for sites in France such as Notre-Dame de Paris, the Pantheon, and Chartres Cathedral. <div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66YNVKMTsEaZap8tPh1mQeyNt6eoHxbn9DMLpvYLpjuv3pJg3ChJBxqq2Mukc3mu-E0C_om0slF4SOCmmzaAs5ZreSzVikjZLUsrt7ZKjF_ByjXqZLbu5UoCTfv_3D0nKAME3MZEK9Kx-KWxsog-QGKbr5bfhudJ8Co8G32x_Ctvpm2Xi5C6PQXgAD8Y/s2624/BaillyCave.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1588" data-original-width="2624" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66YNVKMTsEaZap8tPh1mQeyNt6eoHxbn9DMLpvYLpjuv3pJg3ChJBxqq2Mukc3mu-E0C_om0slF4SOCmmzaAs5ZreSzVikjZLUsrt7ZKjF_ByjXqZLbu5UoCTfv_3D0nKAME3MZEK9Kx-KWxsog-QGKbr5bfhudJ8Co8G32x_Ctvpm2Xi5C6PQXgAD8Y/w400-h243/BaillyCave.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon outside the entry to the Cave.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3MOXxNSmbRLtFlkIajo4B81ZeX_hsRl8JtNFBuLyR7whZEFkiDbA0e1JOiVbi8K-5-oeQ1grIGb2XdqpCH33odRH9ui7ertIkU4aJRmXxtiMm6aJ01jLbRClJfNL2LYpMdXW6gUc9cso3RsNR8kDqlc3HpHVuJWffQgCdtUO5BEKMaVke101p5eEI2U/s2518/ViewOverNivernais.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1658" data-original-width="2518" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3MOXxNSmbRLtFlkIajo4B81ZeX_hsRl8JtNFBuLyR7whZEFkiDbA0e1JOiVbi8K-5-oeQ1grIGb2XdqpCH33odRH9ui7ertIkU4aJRmXxtiMm6aJ01jLbRClJfNL2LYpMdXW6gUc9cso3RsNR8kDqlc3HpHVuJWffQgCdtUO5BEKMaVke101p5eEI2U/w400-h264/ViewOverNivernais.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cave was up on a hill which overlooks the Nivernais/Yonne,<br />and hills of Burgundy are all around.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQJS6jSM9uckcnutkk2YK-8Jbagp80QL--6PvxUWht8WKV751eRUbLcKvB2RD0StXqyoLP2LBn9QCnBnE7j_vnxGEytorxR2cGxcffYbftSvudPfgy74Z5tkwzcMdD9D7Tf4NIw1F5yHtHI-M1LTWoomu6fO20gb4lZ1wj8A220AUHUGOxmeJhNRhet8/s1202/BaillyCaveEntry-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1202" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQJS6jSM9uckcnutkk2YK-8Jbagp80QL--6PvxUWht8WKV751eRUbLcKvB2RD0StXqyoLP2LBn9QCnBnE7j_vnxGEytorxR2cGxcffYbftSvudPfgy74Z5tkwzcMdD9D7Tf4NIw1F5yHtHI-M1LTWoomu6fO20gb4lZ1wj8A220AUHUGOxmeJhNRhet8/w640-h480/BaillyCaveEntry-COLLAGE.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cave maintains a cool temperature perfect for making sparkling wine.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynPzpMQ3c2sHJ5_0eUJH9vEOUgxmGL_lX3oQxOdzV9ETpw8i_g8vEsyWxL_bPqPWrxRF-gy5x5U9v2PYZzxoKmXeI98nkkt1EKhkw9C9gg4nqM4dSfU5KqQz7e7Ev27KtVWR77B4fbIyJbJSknT49dN3Qiz4VUp6D_zI5qKi7mK2MXUnZgVkSvpIDpf8/s1951/BottlesCave.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1951" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynPzpMQ3c2sHJ5_0eUJH9vEOUgxmGL_lX3oQxOdzV9ETpw8i_g8vEsyWxL_bPqPWrxRF-gy5x5U9v2PYZzxoKmXeI98nkkt1EKhkw9C9gg4nqM4dSfU5KqQz7e7Ev27KtVWR77B4fbIyJbJSknT49dN3Qiz4VUp6D_zI5qKi7mK2MXUnZgVkSvpIDpf8/w315-h400/BottlesCave.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bottles age for a while and pick up some<br />dust along the way. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>After a tasting of two different types of crémant (maybe not the <i>best</i> idea before noon), we returned to the boats for an informal--but very social--lunch, and then had the afternoon to do as we wished before an evening barbecue hosted by Aquarelle, the local Port in Auxerre. The city's Bastille Day fireworks display followed. Although Thursday was July 13, and therefore <u>not</u> the actual Bastille Day (which is the 14th of July), many towns have their Bastille Day fireworks on the 13th. The cheeseburgers were cooked well (because unlike many hamburgers in France, they were not rare in the middle--yay), the company was interesting, and the fireworks display was lovely. What we especially liked was the musical soundtrack that really enhanced the experience.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqkl_oLmswOyDNdMf1r8k525rKLIt45pjADazC0q9K4LrH0Yp6H-W4NCu0F6A9S9641qXzFfR3w1fXjVU4t9qG4R_FhTc8NB4aepT63TWizP0fSFF6AbC-he0hWmI2uSiAl8Z-Tve7aB1QNUhTvD-oBu-vN5OvR23FQdCY7Chlt9iAqj5LuymSu_rIg4/s1991/FireworksAuxerre.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1991" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqkl_oLmswOyDNdMf1r8k525rKLIt45pjADazC0q9K4LrH0Yp6H-W4NCu0F6A9S9641qXzFfR3w1fXjVU4t9qG4R_FhTc8NB4aepT63TWizP0fSFF6AbC-he0hWmI2uSiAl8Z-Tve7aB1QNUhTvD-oBu-vN5OvR23FQdCY7Chlt9iAqj5LuymSu_rIg4/w309-h400/FireworksAuxerre.jpg" width="309" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fireworks over the Yonne frame the <br />Eglise Saint Pierre (St. Peter Church).</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The next morning--the <i>actual </i>Bastille Day--we went on a guided walking tour in the historical center of town. We'd done this at the last rally we attended in Auxerre in 2017, but "so many towns, so many stories" meant that a refresher on the details of this particular town could only be a good thing. As Aquarelle will provide our winter mooring for C.A.R.I.B. III, we'll have a few weeks in August, September, and next spring to explore the town to a greater extent than an hour-and-a-half long tour can provide.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxIPZ6j9bV3mPqWIVs1P5Q_IWxzQyZuadEmGv5eBKA_YqadMcvh_zODPyvl9q8D93MmLehigEeABJhV7AwHHxgLGbLC5Ts2rr4pibzN2vQZvxtgTc42hnjVrcXHX1sbhhgYgH4wqBcwp2HESlP_rsW5PS7mTAatRUOP9vUpzvnQk5Ygj9VxgtwzziumA/s1867/STNickSQ.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1867" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxIPZ6j9bV3mPqWIVs1P5Q_IWxzQyZuadEmGv5eBKA_YqadMcvh_zODPyvl9q8D93MmLehigEeABJhV7AwHHxgLGbLC5Ts2rr4pibzN2vQZvxtgTc42hnjVrcXHX1sbhhgYgH4wqBcwp2HESlP_rsW5PS7mTAatRUOP9vUpzvnQk5Ygj9VxgtwzziumA/w640-h366/STNickSQ.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Place Saint Nicolas was the location of the town port in medieval times. Given its location<br />on the banks of the Yonne, and the prevalence of boaters, it's fitting that it's named after<br />the patron saint of mariners (and a statue of St. Nick resides in a niche in the facade of the<br />beige building at the center of the photo.) The oldest timbered buildings in Auxerre are the two<br />"twins" at the left in the photo.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDg30m7zo6E8eiJCzGSIS6TfzACiL_V6IFWnRHzM0yCYz317026ODikPu5Lm96F6PNAdbrWXPb0sz3LXYk4xzQD-auS2eFkAesRjuiUJo1DxqHwB5L4wmBgZE9HHgBqxuERfnFfftpu2tgvegEts_Ys-yTVhc8shKIzWOz9RIyg6cM5vnx7erzQul8bM/s2305/CathFront.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2305" data-original-width="1830" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDg30m7zo6E8eiJCzGSIS6TfzACiL_V6IFWnRHzM0yCYz317026ODikPu5Lm96F6PNAdbrWXPb0sz3LXYk4xzQD-auS2eFkAesRjuiUJo1DxqHwB5L4wmBgZE9HHgBqxuERfnFfftpu2tgvegEts_Ys-yTVhc8shKIzWOz9RIyg6cM5vnx7erzQul8bM/w318-h400/CathFront.JPG" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The front of the cathedral. Built and rebuilt over several<br />centuries, and never completely finished. Of the Romanesque<br />church from the early 11th century, only the crypt remains.<br />When Auxerre lost its status as an episcopal center during the<br />Revolution, the building ceased to be an official cathedral.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhVFo4ab0x1WYetyxch_QLXdY8HkMKopeIcpRO_DbEGrHa_577LCXsZkloYtIeEJWvfpyDmtylI4nGCGuiM7HaJf3zn71iCCYh5GzwlPw4PspE1LZFpRNhwl4XrsBlCDYwheBSNYxeCTMuBA5ZAwHFgmKdOi6wppnT51ia3N7eg2LPwKwiWqD9JbbTU8/s2624/CathPaintRemnants.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1937" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhVFo4ab0x1WYetyxch_QLXdY8HkMKopeIcpRO_DbEGrHa_577LCXsZkloYtIeEJWvfpyDmtylI4nGCGuiM7HaJf3zn71iCCYh5GzwlPw4PspE1LZFpRNhwl4XrsBlCDYwheBSNYxeCTMuBA5ZAwHFgmKdOi6wppnT51ia3N7eg2LPwKwiWqD9JbbTU8/w295-h400/CathPaintRemnants.JPG" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Way back in the day, the cathedral was colorful both<br />inside and out. Only remnants remain of the medieval<br />and Renaissance frescoes.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-sRIRlUGkeHGTQpqOPHse10oH6SrbpoYbHogQK-cX3w3cbolZi6uP-JTdEw72ydNidNxRzlz6JrgsT9Oof9Cv9ThiP2zQ4LAxndRhKavycRPgDq70o68vSO0NNiwX392ewPhu72bCDZstvI2M_vwBRkcPignvH_DKx2mldeBq-qw0jnd-amSybxNNa0/s2624/ClockTower2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1737" data-original-width="2624" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-sRIRlUGkeHGTQpqOPHse10oH6SrbpoYbHogQK-cX3w3cbolZi6uP-JTdEw72ydNidNxRzlz6JrgsT9Oof9Cv9ThiP2zQ4LAxndRhKavycRPgDq70o68vSO0NNiwX392ewPhu72bCDZstvI2M_vwBRkcPignvH_DKx2mldeBq-qw0jnd-amSybxNNa0/w400-h265/ClockTower2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Town Hall (Hotel de Ville) and, to the right, the Clock Tower.<br />The Clock Tower was originally built in the 15th century and<br />used as the prison of an earl before it was turned into a clock<br />and belfry in the late 1400s. The current structure is a 19th century <br />rebuild due to the destruction of the original by fire in 1825.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7_4ckWbsbbn9Et2mTE8_1c-LD2TJaaT8owOS-IeqEV7h1nGXG2CjOQx1Tyog1ieQKcHFVoYxPMk575LLqHe9AhJ0HYTdzcQq6B58XmDsExjB3mXZ9wVHU2sLz0shyY8FDoRe7e2G_MEP876bLoDeOQOgzbsYElkntqNLJDlV-WBrCvv_6plR-qKGTMs/s2491/UpperTown.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1862" data-original-width="2491" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7_4ckWbsbbn9Et2mTE8_1c-LD2TJaaT8owOS-IeqEV7h1nGXG2CjOQx1Tyog1ieQKcHFVoYxPMk575LLqHe9AhJ0HYTdzcQq6B58XmDsExjB3mXZ9wVHU2sLz0shyY8FDoRe7e2G_MEP876bLoDeOQOgzbsYElkntqNLJDlV-WBrCvv_6plR-qKGTMs/w400-h299/UpperTown.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Timbered buildings in the wealthier upper town. Colors started<br />being used on the timbers in the 18th century.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIuphblVNQAqjPLCf9JsNu7HH9NHSWb018LHSG6dGGRkEYAlEY3M7TTOb5TnmzEI6hV3FPpwE4ca8AuucNONoBek09v20miDuSe2S0w8tPjacda0MSKrROdKQLIP8Q1Ro2uNE23jdg8TrIku-TBqzTFQFCbvrC6lv7wKZjxipMO-ltF5LpUA2-QynrOps/s2603/WoodCarvings.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2603" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIuphblVNQAqjPLCf9JsNu7HH9NHSWb018LHSG6dGGRkEYAlEY3M7TTOb5TnmzEI6hV3FPpwE4ca8AuucNONoBek09v20miDuSe2S0w8tPjacda0MSKrROdKQLIP8Q1Ro2uNE23jdg8TrIku-TBqzTFQFCbvrC6lv7wKZjxipMO-ltF5LpUA2-QynrOps/w303-h400/WoodCarvings.JPG" width="303" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As we'd encountered in other towns, the workmanship<br />of the carving to decorate the wood on these 16th<br />century buildings was impressive.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>There wasn't enough time for the guided tour to make it to the Abbey or to the Saint Pierre church, so those are added to our "to do" list for later, along with some other things. In the evening, the DBA held its first-ever Progressive Dinner. It was a three-course event, and participants were with different people for each course. As a host boat, we stayed on CARIB throughout the evening and provided the main course, but our guests were responsible for the appetizer and the dessert. We were a little disappointed that we weren't able to move to any other boats during the dinner, but we realize what a complicated scheduling endeavor it was, so we can't be too critical. Overall, it seems to have been quite a success and a great way to "mix it up" among the attendees.</div><div><br /></div><div>On Saturday, July 15, the "event of the day" took us to Guedelon Castle. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbszI6lX16YpQwh-hyQMJ39X-5mq2J91i1xIHX_WZ5HZz8rTaBwPKDxEJkUcR5QdEIzV5GJvIm60oBCQU9WD4eu4jGnckeINt7wpL6igzX5Awu0PH-0cTLlk7VtuNCtvCrSOTfdIBLRMy60TH86U_ZsMRHkOIdBvxfKxTy7Q976AjJXJRknuGN-59VCuE/s2624/Guerdelon.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2624" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbszI6lX16YpQwh-hyQMJ39X-5mq2J91i1xIHX_WZ5HZz8rTaBwPKDxEJkUcR5QdEIzV5GJvIm60oBCQU9WD4eu4jGnckeINt7wpL6igzX5Awu0PH-0cTLlk7VtuNCtvCrSOTfdIBLRMy60TH86U_ZsMRHkOIdBvxfKxTy7Q976AjJXJRknuGN-59VCuE/w400-h296/Guerdelon.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guedelon Castle. The chapel tower to left, pigeon-loft tower<br />(to enable the Middle Ages version of email) at center,<br /> and gatehouse towers to the right.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Pretty impressive--for a structure whose construction started in 1997. The Guedelon project is a form of experimental archeology, with the goal of trying to answer some of the unanswered questions that exist about medieval castle-building. The castle is being built from scratch and is styled on military architecture that was used for hundreds of castles erected during the reign of Philip-Augustus in the late 12th/early 13th centuries. Aside from some concessions to modern safety requirements--such as steel-toed shoes--the castle is being built with the materials, tools, and technology of the time by workers wearing period clothing. The construction site is adjacent to a quarry whose stones provided materials for buildings for hundreds of years, and a forest that provides wood for the support beams. It is quite an interesting effort.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLfKimnD_K4ZCbX3A2-3oLjShJbozYqyc7ESqhVaVu2LM_yx5uXfp6dIoSV2hIFipLk2Hkst1ylOOd_YqL1IxxSDEVxxrOAiYODUYfOppVUkt7EMe6ly6P9TfYZIbRDBNnO6dazNyXW6mAQ1zsZPjVqwF7D6ZJ_EPkyb9WxdsM5gtaKs_bhR9y15Lbaw/s2624/Courtyard2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1933" data-original-width="2624" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLfKimnD_K4ZCbX3A2-3oLjShJbozYqyc7ESqhVaVu2LM_yx5uXfp6dIoSV2hIFipLk2Hkst1ylOOd_YqL1IxxSDEVxxrOAiYODUYfOppVUkt7EMe6ly6P9TfYZIbRDBNnO6dazNyXW6mAQ1zsZPjVqwF7D6ZJ_EPkyb9WxdsM5gtaKs_bhR9y15Lbaw/w400-h295/Courtyard2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtyard view 1. The building at left contains storage rooms<br />on the lower floor, and a reception room on the upper floor.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmQf-NMzqZkpjQ6B7BFue7rZQPHwThRvF9BdukjLbfAGrNcxfc6MzzMWdGntL7xP-V5c2K7lTpo4Hc6WuWV6FktODeUnXuLPOCOSivMU-Y66Axyj1ZdNImUlcth8zrnygAxtfA_moXuIW92bwSwy_arYj52Cw7SDMlgoaoJXW6JbDBJaJna9KgYMv7V0/s2624/GuerCourtyard.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1897" data-original-width="2624" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmQf-NMzqZkpjQ6B7BFue7rZQPHwThRvF9BdukjLbfAGrNcxfc6MzzMWdGntL7xP-V5c2K7lTpo4Hc6WuWV6FktODeUnXuLPOCOSivMU-Y66Axyj1ZdNImUlcth8zrnygAxtfA_moXuIW92bwSwy_arYj52Cw7SDMlgoaoJXW6JbDBJaJna9KgYMv7V0/w400-h289/GuerCourtyard.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtyard view 2. The chapel tower is at center, to the left<br />we were able to walk atop the defensive outer wall.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOD8XCo65k3VCUewGZFEHqv0zyOxHAXMkP3RJb6lQpGO2bIZoaxtEFGHbT0QQOEhOkxgH0Rl1Ilb9VVr0M4lCubotIcvmc_1tNJ3BTSEZ0nO4BkiPs70Gn9Y1mHC9t7D8fGPjN6agQdALWuwXigS99HowVoBXF3TC7PsnAAF2dEazpM-DNcYXq4gmh2mg/s2480/HamsterWheel.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1905" data-original-width="2480" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOD8XCo65k3VCUewGZFEHqv0zyOxHAXMkP3RJb6lQpGO2bIZoaxtEFGHbT0QQOEhOkxgH0Rl1Ilb9VVr0M4lCubotIcvmc_1tNJ3BTSEZ0nO4BkiPs70Gn9Y1mHC9t7D8fGPjN6agQdALWuwXigS99HowVoBXF3TC7PsnAAF2dEazpM-DNcYXq4gmh2mg/w400-h308/HamsterWheel.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This "hamster wheel" contraption (treadwheel winch) was<br /> used to help hoist materials (capacity of about 1000 pounds)<br /> to the upper levels. The power is being provided by the man<br />walking in the wheel to the left. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_cqArstUxI0Fs8qLWR0cmpiE7pDx7O5zCNwU3BIYbXJFDiaB3baFLcmQcNvAYm0X96ik-FjGJCWD67k6kOenZnD3a2qs4PGFGnxkPeAseLTkbCKty6e0durKmjn-1AwgmP-rdCOsV_QU6PAi6B7VKdAoTLTqA4Pp9hLHBFMzFShZMF4HqeRp_qR_sSs/s2297/LonWalkway.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2297" data-original-width="1635" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_cqArstUxI0Fs8qLWR0cmpiE7pDx7O5zCNwU3BIYbXJFDiaB3baFLcmQcNvAYm0X96ik-FjGJCWD67k6kOenZnD3a2qs4PGFGnxkPeAseLTkbCKty6e0durKmjn-1AwgmP-rdCOsV_QU6PAi6B7VKdAoTLTqA4Pp9hLHBFMzFShZMF4HqeRp_qR_sSs/w285-h400/LonWalkway.JPG" width="285" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon in an interior walkway on the upper floor<br />of the building with the reception hall.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXKRhpSlYIO7j7ZsMR6YFzuJHTd0J9IXQtCL9wYxdR1-JeIbAPm-XZALfRLBCeT9_ut-fXf3udxVEJbKKzGgSnHv53x75HJvZtBAiCEc8a2D8EWcPMV5s_kpcTI2NN-NPWJ9Z2s76tdXQVqGC-Lgr3kxi48YfHjuXN5w50WVedbo_GNoD2irOCYy21qY/s2603/LordsQuarters.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2603" data-original-width="1921" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXKRhpSlYIO7j7ZsMR6YFzuJHTd0J9IXQtCL9wYxdR1-JeIbAPm-XZALfRLBCeT9_ut-fXf3udxVEJbKKzGgSnHv53x75HJvZtBAiCEc8a2D8EWcPMV5s_kpcTI2NN-NPWJ9Z2s76tdXQVqGC-Lgr3kxi48YfHjuXN5w50WVedbo_GNoD2irOCYy21qY/w295-h400/LordsQuarters.JPG" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The decoration in the lord's chamber. The pigments<br />used were obtained from the local soil. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQF1sQ6XzBGBmori2ZpI5vzkf_KMCok8DeYRjli9sZH-tn_RzT00yZ8sh_deL8gJOgE95EM9SBTCL5ZCDlquxZWt3beb85cvKRBnh5pEbeic9-ObSgn8Y5PQUNstI2O_wWM0UqrdlmYu0DYMgBmXez0gEqApl48gELcPYqFMoa_-VrDDE7EjStd14menU/s2624/woodSplitters.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1578" data-original-width="2624" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQF1sQ6XzBGBmori2ZpI5vzkf_KMCok8DeYRjli9sZH-tn_RzT00yZ8sh_deL8gJOgE95EM9SBTCL5ZCDlquxZWt3beb85cvKRBnh5pEbeic9-ObSgn8Y5PQUNstI2O_wWM0UqrdlmYu0DYMgBmXez0gEqApl48gELcPYqFMoa_-VrDDE7EjStd14menU/w640-h384/woodSplitters.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wood-working area. Everything-from beams (one per tree, to use the drier center wood and<br />avoid having to wait months for the wood to season), to shingles, to wooden nails-are prepared here.</td></tr></tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREqP4m1Cr2O6kN0KTHFWfGSJ8VXNsIWKnXcSXsmzmVaGRa9KKwK7yMrn4sd0QfjsC4nx4uqMjM1geWzkWT7_XG70XvGxCZaUrogOGQBmU8-dxkhZSVbAjWTdHXnkeYiawIEH7oliz4JOfMQnO_rt0KqfKpfwf0BfGcXwj_7cLRxpRe3EA-axQeubsBoo/s2525/Alchemist2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1818" data-original-width="2525" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREqP4m1Cr2O6kN0KTHFWfGSJ8VXNsIWKnXcSXsmzmVaGRa9KKwK7yMrn4sd0QfjsC4nx4uqMjM1geWzkWT7_XG70XvGxCZaUrogOGQBmU8-dxkhZSVbAjWTdHXnkeYiawIEH7oliz4JOfMQnO_rt0KqfKpfwf0BfGcXwj_7cLRxpRe3EA-axQeubsBoo/w400-h288/Alchemist2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And if you got tired of buildings, you could always watch<br />an alchemist at work. Now if only we could have understood<br />what he was mumbling as he performed . . . </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>A relaxing Sunday--not being "market people" we skipped the outing to a Sunday market in Chablis. We did, however, attend the afternoon Q&A forum in the Abbye Saint-Germain and the casual farewell dinner at a bistro in the park very near to our moorings. On Monday we hung back and let the morning rush of boats heading through the lock back toward Auxerre get through, then followed in late afternoon and moored again at the Aquarelle Port.</div><div><br /></div><div>As of this writing we'll head south again on Thursday and try to get in a few cruising days on the Nivernais Canal. Because of some low bridges our boat height won't allow us to go too far, and we have to be back in Auxerre on August 1 to receive guests on August 2, but we've heard that it's lovely cruising on the Nivernais, so we want to at least give it a try. </div></div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-48571611006890073732023-07-11T07:59:00.002-07:002024-01-03T07:08:04.195-08:00The Road to Auxerre<div class="separator">"The Road to Auxerre" is the theme for this year's DBA boat rally, and indeed, the Yonne River is the last of the "roads" we have travelled to get to Auxerre. Ever since Paris, we have been encountering more and more boats that are making their way to the get-together. It had been mentioned in earlier blog postings that it felt very quiet on the canals this year, and that we'd seen hardly any other pleasure boats. True no more. With two dozen boats--most of them barges similar in size to ours--cruising toward the same destination, and with the French summer holidays now in full swing, the number of boats we encountered as we cruised increased significantly. It then became a matter of trying to anticipate what kind of cruising schedule would both minimize possible delays at locks and maximize our chances of snagging appropriate overnight moorings.</div><p>We left Sens just before 9 a.m. (lock opening time) on July 6, no longer in the company of Csvargo (who had departed a day earlier), but with new travel companions from England, Betty and Paul, on a 12-meter motor yacht. It was a good "partnership", and we passed through the locks--whether they had flat sides or sloped sides with pontoons--with no problems and no delays. At the end of the 4-hour cruising day an unoccupied halte nautique awaited us in Villeneuve-sur-Yonne. By the end of the day, there were several more boats behind us.</p><p>With only the afternoon to see what the town had to offer, we were at the Tourist Office when they opened at 2 p.m. after the lunch break. We thought to pick up a walking tour map and head out, but what we got was so much more. The Tourist Office apparently shared space and staff with the Musee-Galerie Carnot, and the curator sat us down in an interior courtyard while she cleaned pottery shards from an archeological dig, and gave us a very humorous accounting of the history of Villeneuve. She then invited us to wander the art gallery for a brief period, before rejoining us to continue our personal guided tour and history lesson.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsG1o7QIiih9ph2bhwoSsThOczusviUX_7FrEqi3X-_Jz9J1tyye65wcnEtSQlcPPnktNHtJGtRQTR4tblqoY73rjrKz8iuI-ZbabAaoBpBJe4DSq5e1391ulxrZFL0K1o7g05VxZU4xm5FSjoBje0io_glz7xTHIE5NjpeJZ20Sqt-3ftuKLY4-F7kzQ/s2046/VMuseumCollage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="2046" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsG1o7QIiih9ph2bhwoSsThOczusviUX_7FrEqi3X-_Jz9J1tyye65wcnEtSQlcPPnktNHtJGtRQTR4tblqoY73rjrKz8iuI-ZbabAaoBpBJe4DSq5e1391ulxrZFL0K1o7g05VxZU4xm5FSjoBje0io_glz7xTHIE5NjpeJZ20Sqt-3ftuKLY4-F7kzQ/w400-h400/VMuseumCollage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: native son, sculptor Emile Peyrot; U/R: "Lu", curator<br /> of the Carnot Museum and Gallery (and maybe director of the<br />Tourist Office?); L/R: some of the displays in the Art Gallery.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKYdxLY_zAijbFKrWkwrRwA7i9EJTIZzylHwriXlNTOVBSurVWhjnYoUXBD51iK-iAMF17PZrGTxR71sb5hFEAMbRc_3X7Qk6wQU2HLuT5UHM3PAihz3HbVk0I3APqWwZ1ATBEHM2Rq2aeQqDrJgw9fkkLRd1njKk0xpBa96WLCh7tkTfc5mF2lj3ZBA/s2624/Mammoth%20tooth.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1797" data-original-width="2624" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKYdxLY_zAijbFKrWkwrRwA7i9EJTIZzylHwriXlNTOVBSurVWhjnYoUXBD51iK-iAMF17PZrGTxR71sb5hFEAMbRc_3X7Qk6wQU2HLuT5UHM3PAihz3HbVk0I3APqWwZ1ATBEHM2Rq2aeQqDrJgw9fkkLRd1njKk0xpBa96WLCh7tkTfc5mF2lj3ZBA/w320-h219/Mammoth%20tooth.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a not-open-to-the-public room full of archeological<br />finds, Lon and I got to hold a fragment of a mammoth tooth.<br />As a parting gift, we were given a small stone knife<br />from the Mesolithic era.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>In a nutshell, Villeneuve-sur-Yonne was founded as Villeneuve-le-Roi in 1163 by Louis VII of France as a fortified border town at the boundary of Champagne. It was one of the 8 residences of French kings. Significantly, it was in Villeneuve that the idea of France as a nation was codified, when Louis' son Philip Augustus became, in 1190, the first French monarch to call himself "King of France" rather than "King of the Franks." What remains today, among other things, are two of the old fortified city gates, the old ramparts transformed into park-like walking paths, a church which is nearly the size of a cathedral, and the keep of the former royal castle.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTD-tTZH-BRALnCcAVOXqJWCk_aqbNXuvGJ0SDyq94qU8l_EUBDHuReQ_NKJvHqoR1Q5HPfPFtP5Y9smk8v9XRnw9aHVdrCAlGDOZDIULbbAt9mUhqBocGtkfixgNGpKHJ9db019GWYrf2HKcbb-0E5zEwwS46N9hsYNQG7qO8ke0ByN6qY0eKyxppiDo/s2624/Housewitholdbldg.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2624" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTD-tTZH-BRALnCcAVOXqJWCk_aqbNXuvGJ0SDyq94qU8l_EUBDHuReQ_NKJvHqoR1Q5HPfPFtP5Y9smk8v9XRnw9aHVdrCAlGDOZDIULbbAt9mUhqBocGtkfixgNGpKHJ9db019GWYrf2HKcbb-0E5zEwwS46N9hsYNQG7qO8ke0ByN6qY0eKyxppiDo/w400-h264/Housewitholdbldg.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Sorcerer's Tower", a portion of the old fortifications,<br />was incorporated into this residence. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqMw7QZWzfjD9w2KhzH5M8BZbkRjdJaCs4_GJ666IvzrPZi-ykfBLxNOJc7qV1dw4kZopBm6wudNRZbM5upwugcg9VX9lHweb-7nKFD2WEcEhp83kPZKD8-vtmdLq2G300aeR7bG60RsP32q6l5pSE5AfGS5Z8pdgBBFCvmjCQh_RhN12fYrhbai0Urk/s2187/VBoatmanTower.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="2187" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqMw7QZWzfjD9w2KhzH5M8BZbkRjdJaCs4_GJ666IvzrPZi-ykfBLxNOJc7qV1dw4kZopBm6wudNRZbM5upwugcg9VX9lHweb-7nKFD2WEcEhp83kPZKD8-vtmdLq2G300aeR7bG60RsP32q6l5pSE5AfGS5Z8pdgBBFCvmjCQh_RhN12fYrhbai0Urk/w400-h246/VBoatmanTower.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stone base of the Bonneville Tower, formerly the southwestern<br />tower of the city walls, now part of a house along the Yonne.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWirdAM6b9quEjsT44Ea0b9r-lT6PfFt3wMwOeY8cWeTQ-2VIkcq6foG69WsFLjRCs-DsS3z1nOjDcfROm3hDrUwWya4nfcKPbaQvmJVzBIBVOSJaawNup7wsFVZsS4JObPTLxP52DjkbLLZqZRfRRtx2FjNAb7usjAfXtb2LmFU1HFf1_HQEOcbtYufo/s2149/VCastleKeep.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2149" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWirdAM6b9quEjsT44Ea0b9r-lT6PfFt3wMwOeY8cWeTQ-2VIkcq6foG69WsFLjRCs-DsS3z1nOjDcfROm3hDrUwWya4nfcKPbaQvmJVzBIBVOSJaawNup7wsFVZsS4JObPTLxP52DjkbLLZqZRfRRtx2FjNAb7usjAfXtb2LmFU1HFf1_HQEOcbtYufo/w366-h400/VCastleKeep.JPG" width="366" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Big Tower, the castle keep commissioned by King <br />Philippe Auguste in 1205.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAl2J_qYkuLF6wpxlPlmFbC8otqlInnkvO4jUtAO1A09NHZ6l7kmnirp2_lux2l1YIAVVLqpc2IFz4YyyYY3Uf3zaOpEdEwG2DbjuDf5BFApP_5XQ11odjMxr1AbtN8gnyep_b9eS_1--904ai5KRSC2KkS6SUnf9wdxAUpKMbzwWWI3VWFq4RPyeOwno/s2581/VChurchInt.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2581" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAl2J_qYkuLF6wpxlPlmFbC8otqlInnkvO4jUtAO1A09NHZ6l7kmnirp2_lux2l1YIAVVLqpc2IFz4YyyYY3Uf3zaOpEdEwG2DbjuDf5BFApP_5XQ11odjMxr1AbtN8gnyep_b9eS_1--904ai5KRSC2KkS6SUnf9wdxAUpKMbzwWWI3VWFq4RPyeOwno/w305-h400/VChurchInt.JPG" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior of the Church of Notre Dame de l'Assomption<br />(13th-16th centuries). <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn9p9QMYeqdG0BvvDHqt0d8ShcB6bH8cCzXBv4sv19Q9-nj2ZM6kNxJuoztLAlWWPbS7BUFpU6g5ixyPwP_mGdYyvVxB-cboMIJK6Fftq8BG_6gjPQxnqQ01Ol4nYDUIedyRwV_CTgSmuzNsc9Aah2DMnoJb8sU3NDFOOGZSFCq49HYTRRTHCQIAOxQA8/s2606/StNickChapel.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2606" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn9p9QMYeqdG0BvvDHqt0d8ShcB6bH8cCzXBv4sv19Q9-nj2ZM6kNxJuoztLAlWWPbS7BUFpU6g5ixyPwP_mGdYyvVxB-cboMIJK6Fftq8BG_6gjPQxnqQ01Ol4nYDUIedyRwV_CTgSmuzNsc9Aah2DMnoJb8sU3NDFOOGZSFCq49HYTRRTHCQIAOxQA8/w303-h400/StNickChapel.JPG" width="303" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas, patron<br />saint of mariners.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfAol17CDUtSriy5sVjPtFRDUZi1u18WrvPsayS1iRd-zVDRY5T75SCoW31QVBwStw41iuS7eZuJaE9R1gs_mIoajAvMsQdRfHj13cGh201pV_BlszXRr8sdvMdz7FMsS4dHiwHI3IB_8zMlcYW29GFStdd9o3MVjRV60s_6VjEVDJsrZdfLbdVV_JmY/s2297/VilleneuveChurch.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2297" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfAol17CDUtSriy5sVjPtFRDUZi1u18WrvPsayS1iRd-zVDRY5T75SCoW31QVBwStw41iuS7eZuJaE9R1gs_mIoajAvMsQdRfHj13cGh201pV_BlszXRr8sdvMdz7FMsS4dHiwHI3IB_8zMlcYW29GFStdd9o3MVjRV60s_6VjEVDJsrZdfLbdVV_JmY/w400-h343/VilleneuveChurch.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a very large church for what is now a rather small town, but<br />truly reflective of the town's past importance. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMDWX52Ri0I9Nyk_mmdOEUHneyQfm18wbU_aBnUdeRovOMPIAaB8sM61TfdCZh36v1Us67FoJCUpisWcjcPRLeppcD6QCb-dNM2fQyvpsLMns9ad71B_xAmoRwEBb3p28fL7MZ0UPk54soAhqd3jzFa7E22v_dDte0vDgppRAVHmdIiZDbB20PExEH7M/s2046/VillGate-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="2046" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMDWX52Ri0I9Nyk_mmdOEUHneyQfm18wbU_aBnUdeRovOMPIAaB8sM61TfdCZh36v1Us67FoJCUpisWcjcPRLeppcD6QCb-dNM2fQyvpsLMns9ad71B_xAmoRwEBb3p28fL7MZ0UPk54soAhqd3jzFa7E22v_dDte0vDgppRAVHmdIiZDbB20PExEH7M/w400-h300/VillGate-COLLAGE.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two remaining fortified gates: Porte de Sens (L) and<br />Porte de Joigny (R).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>It was a hot day, so we only covered about half the walking tour route. We have a perfect excuse to stop for longer when we retrace our route on the Yonne next year.</div><div><br /></div><div>On July 7 we continued cruising with Paul and Betty as we made our way to the town of Joigny. Just like the day before, we didn't have any competition for the locks when we arrived at them, so the cruise was accomplished about as expeditiously as we could have hoped for. The locks continued to be changeable in ways large and small.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fEAMMB2l2YH3CfxIzXDhdUKxYb4QJvBJLdoTMr0cD-VAXVULr8x7nD6UGzwS-a4p0vyJn1p1pBzveyQeviZFagiGVrd3g8I85_za5BSJN1EDfcXJm3FP37iWVgcHLyAtYxUJcDv2K1BPoXVpWjEg14pVNKdjw-_FYODrZe_rdL3KDe6bdnYNT8DbQLk/s2297/Eclusier.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2297" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fEAMMB2l2YH3CfxIzXDhdUKxYb4QJvBJLdoTMr0cD-VAXVULr8x7nD6UGzwS-a4p0vyJn1p1pBzveyQeviZFagiGVrd3g8I85_za5BSJN1EDfcXJm3FP37iWVgcHLyAtYxUJcDv2K1BPoXVpWjEg14pVNKdjw-_FYODrZe_rdL3KDe6bdnYNT8DbQLk/w640-h381/Eclusier.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was an interesting one. On most of the lock gates, the sluices (which let the water in--or out--<br />of the lock as the case may be) are operated using an electrical control box installed by the gates. In this lock, the eclusier had to manually change the position of levers to open and close the sluices.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Joigny is an older town than Villeneuve, with origins in Neolithic times. It, too, was fortified in the Middle Ages, and is noted for having one of the largest sets of half-timbered houses in Burgundy. We had originally intended to spend two nights in Joigny, but the weather forecast for Sunday was calling for thunderstorms all day, and we thought that it would be better to keep moving and have our "day off" in Gurgy on Sunday. As well, the mooring options for barges weren't great in Joigny, and the number of boats that we were seeing--both barges headed to the rally and vacation hire boats from the Locaboat/LeBoat hire base in Joigny--also made us think that moving on earlier was a better option. We saw what we could of Joigny in the little bit of time we had, and promised ourselves to return next year. We then enjoyed some camaraderie with DBA members who shared our mooring, and finished off the day by dining out to celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4siBgGaoHfU6roLaARfXApsFnzWuU4nMSxEUay9AwrRK_iSUoARzfnTV5SxyANLHhguFdxgT2ZJ7e_3BGddQFwKv19JA4s1I5W5ev3axx0LQ_JD9osGs5yIDmTNx-ChRTmTahvqBTDlpJPTiD61l_XiwRQPC2JDEpFSu4YR99QsxiT_Bhro1elDIlIJY/s2605/sisterShips.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2605" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4siBgGaoHfU6roLaARfXApsFnzWuU4nMSxEUay9AwrRK_iSUoARzfnTV5SxyANLHhguFdxgT2ZJ7e_3BGddQFwKv19JA4s1I5W5ev3axx0LQ_JD9osGs5yIDmTNx-ChRTmTahvqBTDlpJPTiD61l_XiwRQPC2JDEpFSu4YR99QsxiT_Bhro1elDIlIJY/w400-h210/sisterShips.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On a rather rough quay north of town we were moored adjacent<br />to CARIB III's "sister ship." Catharina Elisabeth was "birthed" in<br />1915 at the Czar Peter shipyard in the Netherlands, the same <br />shipyard that created our boat in 1928. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqMG5GbLgziaCuE0X3i8DUfSZ0qaSVEpogPiaRhwpI9wvDYpcm5xd0HszS2S21DdPsmzrU_UrHEDMeWGynpjydgnlKheyk_3gWGF0gHQQ83NO1jbZsarNBmEISUqCEaYtIB52BkrfpYslOKXqR1Zflq-QV-v5cMeb8SPdTrtEi1UvC67c-jXRzO9riMQ/s2519/Joigny.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1548" data-original-width="2519" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqMG5GbLgziaCuE0X3i8DUfSZ0qaSVEpogPiaRhwpI9wvDYpcm5xd0HszS2S21DdPsmzrU_UrHEDMeWGynpjydgnlKheyk_3gWGF0gHQQ83NO1jbZsarNBmEISUqCEaYtIB52BkrfpYslOKXqR1Zflq-QV-v5cMeb8SPdTrtEi1UvC67c-jXRzO9riMQ/w400-h246/Joigny.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joigny spreads out on a hill. This view is from a park very<br />near to where we were moored.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuPOqof7yws48t3xcFZCSQpGLyX6-QMOKts0CSPTz6pyVxR36HYDb8hmroPXafCcPbmT8avBjH3pAV2SSCSOwBp9M6CbIatDRjUs8lUCivu-0MmBRUwJC2s4OYzcq-ioExjudj_DCq6bMnfVpebNmqnoDqa_UGHi1GEk6V9jxWN8NnXjqBPZ7qE1aiF0/s2624/JoiLookingDownriver.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1434" data-original-width="2624" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuPOqof7yws48t3xcFZCSQpGLyX6-QMOKts0CSPTz6pyVxR36HYDb8hmroPXafCcPbmT8avBjH3pAV2SSCSOwBp9M6CbIatDRjUs8lUCivu-0MmBRUwJC2s4OYzcq-ioExjudj_DCq6bMnfVpebNmqnoDqa_UGHi1GEk6V9jxWN8NnXjqBPZ7qE1aiF0/w400-h219/JoiLookingDownriver.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back toward the Locaboat port. Beyond the port, behind<br />the trees, was our mooring spot.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFEXaEzaRQZ1qcmpFTDC3G83ATe6qTAISs6sMgMLbiub7LmFI0J2tSWx8wASJ1qruspVmku4nHSgfTU-F6zkFfzevnTV7VGFtyTk3JOpX_HyGc17l_S3-nKyLzMpsXCe76Cik3gJDumDPmIq6Jz65xghAyh9jwThwezY36vZjKF_u2m3v2DvA0avhvcQ/s2624/JoignyPorte.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1636" data-original-width="2624" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFEXaEzaRQZ1qcmpFTDC3G83ATe6qTAISs6sMgMLbiub7LmFI0J2tSWx8wASJ1qruspVmku4nHSgfTU-F6zkFfzevnTV7VGFtyTk3JOpX_HyGc17l_S3-nKyLzMpsXCe76Cik3gJDumDPmIq6Jz65xghAyh9jwThwezY36vZjKF_u2m3v2DvA0avhvcQ/w400-h250/JoignyPorte.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Porte du Bois (Wood Gate).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QwxF1xhis8dqB7EbugmbORZCuGDz9cWlfjn4FmDHgYq8AobfqX5LaoLpXfHXgxp4Y6chPe8yGVYmXUa03rExp1rG0i78AaL_Gn-biceYgr8wvKE198EKcjkAtT-9B9pTYOVer3yUgF4TQ5gxXYKA0PggMYbH6ZuYyK14iuINLfndXwLFNOqFBgZFBXc/s2292/MedievalStreetJoi.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2292" data-original-width="1713" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QwxF1xhis8dqB7EbugmbORZCuGDz9cWlfjn4FmDHgYq8AobfqX5LaoLpXfHXgxp4Y6chPe8yGVYmXUa03rExp1rG0i78AaL_Gn-biceYgr8wvKE198EKcjkAtT-9B9pTYOVer3yUgF4TQ5gxXYKA0PggMYbH6ZuYyK14iuINLfndXwLFNOqFBgZFBXc/w299-h400/MedievalStreetJoi.JPG" width="299" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon trekking uphill on one of the narrow<br />streets of Joigny.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJhBqRHq-MIkUE9AyDHARcrrmfXBrCjtwktM1DAYcY3VfGp441Ul5hVADEMlKrdDvMcwOR7Zi_ZTrS1jOD2MIocn5UA7at-8XtbMgdZ2eqCQCrY_mS37a7FWTchjyfn5z_49e1RV0hhr6HPZ1-wlU95LreoHBmvvDeRBkbij84z_qln1LQht28TKkKeM/s2624/TimberedJoigny.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1787" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJhBqRHq-MIkUE9AyDHARcrrmfXBrCjtwktM1DAYcY3VfGp441Ul5hVADEMlKrdDvMcwOR7Zi_ZTrS1jOD2MIocn5UA7at-8XtbMgdZ2eqCQCrY_mS37a7FWTchjyfn5z_49e1RV0hhr6HPZ1-wlU95LreoHBmvvDeRBkbij84z_qln1LQht28TKkKeM/w437-h640/TimberedJoigny.JPG" width="437" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the wood carvings on the 16th century timbered<br />buildings are absolutely fabulous. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We left Joigny just after 8 a.m. on July 8 as part of a "flotilla" of boats. We were number 3 in a group of what ultimately turned out to be 9 boats that wanted to get through the first lockage of the day: 6 barges ultimately heading toward Auxerre, one 30-meter barge that was not part of the DBA group, Paul and Betty's cruiser, and a vacation rental boat. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdr8cWF6rLulZkDKYGMX-ihmRYhtIE1JXwaPQ5BRmgjxl82GZIFKejPOZaI3Z9xgCdxj3TZnnBONdxhfCBfNAAn6yFvbsDF6rxXdIUnDw74tHIDJhU9oJwrbsiCJD9LEwJZSly3Fa381GypLq3pnlJGWQjF-FWGH-n_FnpM5RguIxeiw8DN0kpjPCnEB8/s2624/P1050182.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdr8cWF6rLulZkDKYGMX-ihmRYhtIE1JXwaPQ5BRmgjxl82GZIFKejPOZaI3Z9xgCdxj3TZnnBONdxhfCBfNAAn6yFvbsDF6rxXdIUnDw74tHIDJhU9oJwrbsiCJD9LEwJZSly3Fa381GypLq3pnlJGWQjF-FWGH-n_FnpM5RguIxeiw8DN0kpjPCnEB8/w400-h300/P1050182.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our view toward the back of the lock from our position in about<br /> the middle of the first lock of the day.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The second lock of the day was the reason that all of us were so anxious to get through the first lock. Instead of "lockage on demand", the second lock was restricted to 3 passage times each day: 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. All of our boats got to it in plenty of time for the 10 a.m. passage, but because it was a narrower lock than the first lock, we could no longer all fit at the same time. We went through with 3 other barges and the 2 small boats, and fortunately, the vnf did an additional lockage to allow the 3 remaining barges to pass through after we were done.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UzWvVd_T0rCCKi4Ae-MoNgHzrPVSLyO1Ch1KT-A8jleiFGVDz2qhZTtqeqMx74O90iN50Te0QzZ2cdatjJ6N-j4iDrpe-kovhb6DVeGuLZ88KEtloJF-Wac_J7GvfJRysBo2pjmdntroeD34yMrC5eb6I9M5FLMZZo8dEu-xbQi2769a2Dy3ZvKp9IM/s2624/ConflBourgogne.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1305" data-original-width="2624" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UzWvVd_T0rCCKi4Ae-MoNgHzrPVSLyO1Ch1KT-A8jleiFGVDz2qhZTtqeqMx74O90iN50Te0QzZ2cdatjJ6N-j4iDrpe-kovhb6DVeGuLZ88KEtloJF-Wac_J7GvfJRysBo2pjmdntroeD34yMrC5eb6I9M5FLMZZo8dEu-xbQi2769a2Dy3ZvKp9IM/w400-h199/ConflBourgogne.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passing the confluence with the Bourgogne Canal.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fndP2AM6OIOVoN-FOXXerYf-B8Ja1uT5GGuhtjD2wIQw78zV6Ej_8KjFhQLGh1qYf6mpYQhCkqcNDUWDwmEactM78MzSQNAPB0dQkkmqQc3943TLJDHQ0yuI18p4zjN1cXDbGqHwId231fwn4vUKnIpA0syWG_0sbmVnwWboeEFN6cHOT9CnByM_-58/s2624/Flotilla.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1383" data-original-width="2624" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fndP2AM6OIOVoN-FOXXerYf-B8Ja1uT5GGuhtjD2wIQw78zV6Ej_8KjFhQLGh1qYf6mpYQhCkqcNDUWDwmEactM78MzSQNAPB0dQkkmqQc3943TLJDHQ0yuI18p4zjN1cXDbGqHwId231fwn4vUKnIpA0syWG_0sbmVnwWboeEFN6cHOT9CnByM_-58/w400-h211/Flotilla.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving the second lock: the first two boats continued with us<br />to the village of Gurgy, whereas the boat in front of us left<br />our group at this point to moor on a quiet quay.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>There's not much to say about Gurgy, other than that it was a nice, quiet town with well-maintained properties and--important to us on weekends--had a boulangerie where we could buy our weekly pastry. It was a <u>very</u> popular mooring quay, in very good condition and with adjacent kiosks for drinks and food. We had access to power and water there, so it was a great place to hang out for a couple of nights and catch our breath before our final push to Auxerre. As it was populated by several DBA boats, it was also a very social stop for us.<div><br /><div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRpgqyZ254hqeoaEmdm2EJ9DyFfnAIHzuVYO_k-e9kUubH66IWvCrumE9w4vTwPe65m5OeA3X7Coh_X0Xli-S7Ma2bycg2jIBPIY3SIDDurilui3uJaaQ3OXffm2eKOipKLcE8LRrZ1ypHl3SOUCYRlF-yjbe-BX4D9HpivTi7fStcsdgJMR59RWzlnM/s2624/PackedGurgy.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="2624" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRpgqyZ254hqeoaEmdm2EJ9DyFfnAIHzuVYO_k-e9kUubH66IWvCrumE9w4vTwPe65m5OeA3X7Coh_X0Xli-S7Ma2bycg2jIBPIY3SIDDurilui3uJaaQ3OXffm2eKOipKLcE8LRrZ1ypHl3SOUCYRlF-yjbe-BX4D9HpivTi7fStcsdgJMR59RWzlnM/w400-h194/PackedGurgy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were at one end of the mooring quay. Boats had to double up<br />all the way along the quay to accommodate everyone who needed a <br />place to stay overnight.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZA8Z7jz_3ZjZ_b_xgHb4T78sXMmnmQbzJWTAutxLkKZoN6SQVVOxUmstdvuNXC8MqIaA6lFoyd-texdI58PXGMJmTEvpRx724pfpTzWOdnDx_sqmHqA4dnQ5EQIVjAJjTaO7tE1M7AF_x4qn5Z6vIRb_DLLSU23k6WLb7qIdgNJWvT2swsHR7wEQIKg/s4000/20230709_173803.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZA8Z7jz_3ZjZ_b_xgHb4T78sXMmnmQbzJWTAutxLkKZoN6SQVVOxUmstdvuNXC8MqIaA6lFoyd-texdI58PXGMJmTEvpRx724pfpTzWOdnDx_sqmHqA4dnQ5EQIVjAJjTaO7tE1M7AF_x4qn5Z6vIRb_DLLSU23k6WLb7qIdgNJWvT2swsHR7wEQIKg/w400-h300/20230709_173803.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Leo" was aboard a boat that we invited to raft against us on<br />July 9 when there was no open space on the quay in Gurgy.<br />He had been a breeding stud, and his registered name was<br />"Just a Gigolo." </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Several of the DBAers in Gurgy decided to stay for another day, but we pushed off on July 10 to catch the first of five locks of the day that would take us to Auxerre 10 km "down the road." For the first time in a week we were cruising by ourselves. Aside from a 20-minute wait at the third lock as two boats came downstream, we breezed through the morning and were at the Aquarelle Port in Auxerre before noon. This gave us time to shop for groceries, fill our water tank, and empty our black water tank before heading to the rally location at an Auxerre park on July 11. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMvwDIL4bUhu2FSambZh81fZL_fvATXav2oTT-vzsev-x7GKUKpw2VAp38Ggb5UAuhBVk5wIkaT8JlksG9BSTk-iljr8-8U99Cy3FReIqNE7WytnsFsCuacBMSY-mFAuHXGBJVRwS0Ci_dVCZThso-N5GKOq781G8xnX3RzVDYmNrn0yA_fZWjQprhFk/s4080/AuxerreMooringSunset.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="4080" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMvwDIL4bUhu2FSambZh81fZL_fvATXav2oTT-vzsev-x7GKUKpw2VAp38Ggb5UAuhBVk5wIkaT8JlksG9BSTk-iljr8-8U99Cy3FReIqNE7WytnsFsCuacBMSY-mFAuHXGBJVRwS0Ci_dVCZThso-N5GKOq781G8xnX3RzVDYmNrn0yA_fZWjQprhFk/w640-h214/AuxerreMooringSunset.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auxerre at sunset. To the right, CARIB is seen moored under the pedestrian bridge, to the<br />left is visible the Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNU3QvM7C8lWgygp-8JM4iq5QDdkHj0T1whuObwAEkXZikmKxb09m6W-9D5erLlo0VlAmIM8zMQbPX9kMQEUnydfMv2tMiGme4RTcAS4SDvhL-ojCiniAlj19TQSEcf5Q1HlER3FPAaOrYmbeT9asGbdVoyuuJJJM_pDzFmEAwCXSt2GYxj3ARKR0BHsU/s4080/AuxerreSunset.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1962" data-original-width="4080" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNU3QvM7C8lWgygp-8JM4iq5QDdkHj0T1whuObwAEkXZikmKxb09m6W-9D5erLlo0VlAmIM8zMQbPX9kMQEUnydfMv2tMiGme4RTcAS4SDvhL-ojCiniAlj19TQSEcf5Q1HlER3FPAaOrYmbeT9asGbdVoyuuJJJM_pDzFmEAwCXSt2GYxj3ARKR0BHsU/w640-h309/AuxerreSunset.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As we headed back from an evening walk to the rally site, we saw the Auxerre<br />Cathedral backlit by a beautiful orange sky.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnSi2f-EfldZKjLEHXr-gwlcxlswC9u6AFwwCiY8TGR4tCtXRUUOOZCydwL_hmRVY5tCaJfRWPhimVjM6D87qQKJzhozmcF4EFskFMajlVjBdIIRvY8-qZ5yQtPfYy7iiVv9qvih50CuTSu9b5U9-OmsDWxoEI-AjLPmOVi8Dwd2vYxwUTb9oTRa3d5Y/s2624/Auxerre1stMooringCath.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="2624" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnSi2f-EfldZKjLEHXr-gwlcxlswC9u6AFwwCiY8TGR4tCtXRUUOOZCydwL_hmRVY5tCaJfRWPhimVjM6D87qQKJzhozmcF4EFskFMajlVjBdIIRvY8-qZ5yQtPfYy7iiVv9qvih50CuTSu9b5U9-OmsDWxoEI-AjLPmOVi8Dwd2vYxwUTb9oTRa3d5Y/w400-h248/Auxerre1stMooringCath.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of the Cathedral out our window this morning.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We are now in position for the rally, rafted on the outside of a 25-meter barge called Matilda. Registration is tomorrow afternoon and our opening reception tomorrow night. We are thrilled beyond measure that another "aspiration" has been achieved.</div></div></div></div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-34182664810596870542023-07-09T06:40:00.000-07:002024-01-03T06:53:44.103-08:00Making "Sens" of Things<p>We had company on July 2 at our "wild" mooring (a quay, but no bollards or rings, so Lon had to drive mooring stakes for our lines) in Montereau-fault-Yonne. The lovely folks on the barge Csavargo, also members of the barge association we belong to, are, like us, headed to the rally in Auxerre. We first met them (briefly) last year in Compiegne, then re-introduced ourselves when they ended up in the Arsenal in Paris for a couple of days. We met again several days later at the mooring in Moret-sur-Loing. Over docktails on July 2 we realized that our cruising schedules would align on July 3 and 4, so we cruised in tandem on those days.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQc399f1dUn0WqLT0rIF5JsaYp--u893RZAQ3gJ28aqU4KNcUYtNEzQXsjNPMHPdYumAIzo-IIBn4KfhP1u7AqZ8XqYHMMqyMNRUcC-JRVW07eFMrnxow7pc2KMwfJY5nDey11Qo5tKipRMGaCmiWiT9QwkzG6ugk2vr1A9JSHpZ95ZL-tp0OsFuB8Pc/s2873/RainyCruisetoPontsurYonnr.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="2873" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQc399f1dUn0WqLT0rIF5JsaYp--u893RZAQ3gJ28aqU4KNcUYtNEzQXsjNPMHPdYumAIzo-IIBn4KfhP1u7AqZ8XqYHMMqyMNRUcC-JRVW07eFMrnxow7pc2KMwfJY5nDey11Qo5tKipRMGaCmiWiT9QwkzG6ugk2vr1A9JSHpZ95ZL-tp0OsFuB8Pc/w400-h215/RainyCruisetoPontsurYonnr.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our July 3 cruise to Pont-sur-Yonne included a rainy morning.<br />It's been a while since I've needed the heavy-duty rain gear.<br />Here we are sharing a lock with Csavargo.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The first three locks on the Yonne were a challenge, as all the lock walls were sloping sides and there were no floating pontoons to make tying to the bollards, and the ride up in the lock, any easier. Fortunately, the vnf staff were prepared to grab our lines to assist us in getting tied to the bollards at the top of the lock wall; it was then up to us to figure out how to ride the rising water in the locks without scraping our hull too much on the lock walls. Fortunately, all of the subsequent Yonne locks either had at least one straight side or had floating pontoons to moor to. When a floating pontoon was the option, there was usually only one, so in those cases Csavargo would tie up to the pontoon and we would tie up to the side of Csavargo. Never a dull moment!<p></p><p>Our stop for that day was the small town of Pont-sur-Yonne (literally, "bridge on the Yonne"). The town had two nice mooring pontoons across the street from a boules (a game similar to bocce) court. A quick stroll through this medieval town revealed the requisite collection of historic monuments (one of the oldest gothic churches in France, remnants of the old town fortifications, timbered houses), but not a whole lot was going on except for a few boules games. Janos and Rachel and Lon and I played a quick game of boules, retired to the back of CARIB for docktails, then called it an evening.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qmd6U-NBdqOrdYYqGmC-_QUhAedVjPo497SObCPj27Fs_6ZDpmIlm8Rzxdmgy-seDUKCQJ4wBaWTE97snH7QDBV9DcMbd2Fi-SSy_g9oYdS9V59Fx0GMvRLxc9wCmPRgVLeL9Pdsp6yqHmhoLOpWRMxZRjUee92qkpb7gh9yEsripmb-xlQw1Floph4/s4000/PontsYonne.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="4000" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qmd6U-NBdqOrdYYqGmC-_QUhAedVjPo497SObCPj27Fs_6ZDpmIlm8Rzxdmgy-seDUKCQJ4wBaWTE97snH7QDBV9DcMbd2Fi-SSy_g9oYdS9V59Fx0GMvRLxc9wCmPRgVLeL9Pdsp6yqHmhoLOpWRMxZRjUee92qkpb7gh9yEsripmb-xlQw1Floph4/w640-h206/PontsYonne.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View up the Yonne from Pont-sur-Yonne. The photo was taken from the "new" bridge; the <br />structure about center photo contains the remnant arches of the old 17th C stone bridge, which had to be replaced because the small arches were a hazard to river traffic.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The July 4 cruise to the city of Sens was relatively short, but not without its moments of excitement.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKc9wSuvZ0YT0xXHDAavJxvtz2RTBCRDGaw7cbu4Bao0lodcYf-yZYqxyjhCGtdOKjk6e6PZnDTY6zjxHBHRDLI39Vdb539xq0vqHbtcskSELrLzOqb31V4cnXPh_mHKl5woaOyLBN0LRwVa0Cwg8ff1FbOPIWgb_0kNi_hWFnGV6OzWOWhStrd37VQmw/s2046/BargeCollage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="2046" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKc9wSuvZ0YT0xXHDAavJxvtz2RTBCRDGaw7cbu4Bao0lodcYf-yZYqxyjhCGtdOKjk6e6PZnDTY6zjxHBHRDLI39Vdb539xq0vqHbtcskSELrLzOqb31V4cnXPh_mHKl5woaOyLBN0LRwVa0Cwg8ff1FbOPIWgb_0kNi_hWFnGV6OzWOWhStrd37VQmw/w400-h300/BargeCollage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We didn't encounter much commercial traffic on the Yonne, so it<br />was truly "Murphy's Law" that we would encounter this big boy<br />on the narrowest part of the waterway, a diversion canal that<br />had taken us off the Yonne for a few kilometers. We were stopped<br />against the side of the canal to allow the barge to pass us.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Sens is another city whose roots go back to Roman times, and was a prestigious religious center in the Middle Ages. St. Stephen's Cathedral (in French, Saint-Etienne) in Sens was the first of the great Gothic cathedrals, dating from around 1135, and was built on the foundations of an earlier church. It was the model for other famous Gothic cathedrals, such as those at Chartres, Amiens, and Canterbury (in England). The importance of Sens diminished after Paris was elevated to an archdiocese in 1622. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFf8WPeJgxmW00KZzfPV1lAi1M5NghLaedBbMnsPtP20Al9OWaLxib4-vGRkR7jj0WWXzjhN9EtvAhAFSdbne6yMWLNSUlh8jct6zHCUIg0KTOLpAOs6z7Yfy-PE46ubNrsnhcY56LEe0JWAHT5L3Rvcg_BcqMDGL2VHz-4uccN809egpW4qOSTQ4STU/s2378/cathedralSens.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2378" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFf8WPeJgxmW00KZzfPV1lAi1M5NghLaedBbMnsPtP20Al9OWaLxib4-vGRkR7jj0WWXzjhN9EtvAhAFSdbne6yMWLNSUlh8jct6zHCUIg0KTOLpAOs6z7Yfy-PE46ubNrsnhcY56LEe0JWAHT5L3Rvcg_BcqMDGL2VHz-4uccN809egpW4qOSTQ4STU/w331-h400/cathedralSens.JPG" width="331" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The exterior of the cathedral. With only one tower, it seemed<br />a little "lopsided" to me, but the north tower was removed<br />during renovations in the mid-1800's and not replaced.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcN24vRREbcqKa1SWZC8wJBNXrgjFAqiTziR_VlA8htkcwpUf1szVqs_a1-wWhH3fIhbC-WYEAXGpF53FZEBjIsRxW_doGnWQXU8rE5AFd5Q7W6vla0uINFAHnTou5tWb6hjGR8bfXVSe0GP3KR860SABDWWw70EiuGliREg7y1jkf7VNuxUD55XPEJA/s2581/SensCathInt.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2581" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcN24vRREbcqKa1SWZC8wJBNXrgjFAqiTziR_VlA8htkcwpUf1szVqs_a1-wWhH3fIhbC-WYEAXGpF53FZEBjIsRxW_doGnWQXU8rE5AFd5Q7W6vla0uINFAHnTou5tWb6hjGR8bfXVSe0GP3KR860SABDWWw70EiuGliREg7y1jkf7VNuxUD55XPEJA/w305-h400/SensCathInt.JPG" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior of the cathedral. Not as soaring as some cathedrals,<br />but as it was the first cathedral of its kind, it was left to the<br />builders of future cathedrals to reach for higher heights.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPl0sPodRl12axI06sMb1FbyZESNbb3ehIZxPEZajl6IkA3SsFWig89Gmzj-y2F9gjeqjDq3gjsi39ZHE2Df5KkmiJHusgk8E5Ro9FkKfDU_-BDU6h9ZkAjdFhxNP9Gzgc44OGp8wqrgblvHQA0n8X-7IqH8e48Y83Ogw4eNqvisCr6sjiHn7nYMJFfE/s2624/SensNoHeads.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1862" data-original-width="2624" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPl0sPodRl12axI06sMb1FbyZESNbb3ehIZxPEZajl6IkA3SsFWig89Gmzj-y2F9gjeqjDq3gjsi39ZHE2Df5KkmiJHusgk8E5Ro9FkKfDU_-BDU6h9ZkAjdFhxNP9Gzgc44OGp8wqrgblvHQA0n8X-7IqH8e48Y83Ogw4eNqvisCr6sjiHn7nYMJFfE/w400-h284/SensNoHeads.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As in the church in Meaux, the resident stone saints surrounding<br />the exterior door have "lost their heads".</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The Cathedral was the location where Louis IX (later St. Louis) was married to Marguerite de Provence in 1234. It's also the burial site of the Dauphin, son of Louis XV and father of Louis XVI. He died before his father, and thus never became king. He was one of the few French royals not to be buried in the Basilica of Saint-Denis near Paris, although his heart is buried there.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBKvzT8oQ3d-9ecsU9RjVI4tkH8XNFmJel0JPngQt9Qriz0akqYFowpDfx9nie62Wv20vShxtg30N84SQH7szTFyKYvC0nHuC_nUa6893kjBwq_wDlgxZ5DRLpAqSGcNLhQijbhMwzy9-5CoTPTt3xkwFawPO71qhX4woTXB-_SVVilbdbtuYYA6uYSw/s2624/P1040924.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBKvzT8oQ3d-9ecsU9RjVI4tkH8XNFmJel0JPngQt9Qriz0akqYFowpDfx9nie62Wv20vShxtg30N84SQH7szTFyKYvC0nHuC_nUa6893kjBwq_wDlgxZ5DRLpAqSGcNLhQijbhMwzy9-5CoTPTt3xkwFawPO71qhX4woTXB-_SVVilbdbtuYYA6uYSw/w300-h400/P1040924.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The monument for the Dauphin and his wife.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqukgDrfGHdP675CGm4Tq0fs0w6BNsZcaVf_QQFKQH1a2ZnJp9sBLLCZxSaTt3wIt_bkV7WrCd2V7Dm-UNZvX2O7E1nZR2vyirzn6fwwKI1bcqXUJ3_JG6LvjZaXQqyY23yM8jv0eXLMAFXKGyAks6Na2ojb9xz6CywM6z-KgUN3eQwcdW_s37FdWhLBY/s2624/P1040944.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqukgDrfGHdP675CGm4Tq0fs0w6BNsZcaVf_QQFKQH1a2ZnJp9sBLLCZxSaTt3wIt_bkV7WrCd2V7Dm-UNZvX2O7E1nZR2vyirzn6fwwKI1bcqXUJ3_JG6LvjZaXQqyY23yM8jv0eXLMAFXKGyAks6Na2ojb9xz6CywM6z-KgUN3eQwcdW_s37FdWhLBY/s320/P1040944.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The former Archbishop's Palace, the age of its various<br />wings ranging from the 13th C to the 18th C.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The central town retains much of its medieval character, with narrow streets and timbered houses throughout.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYg86NOhtlqwH7e3VcZMpmJfeYIxRi6AmUzxx1kce4UFYkIag-B15f0hS7Im2Q3gGP_hcQPiH97UhErURT9Y40bQcEL2zfIzSnzHXwDzX94-ovOeHH_ENAQK1LNuIYO9JSW2RGpTsd1n-gtXzT-YqQHqgMssIhP2vWIx0MI-ms6z0lHXfpXIPvKPHGYFE/s6352/CentralSquareSens.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1636" data-original-width="6352" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYg86NOhtlqwH7e3VcZMpmJfeYIxRi6AmUzxx1kce4UFYkIag-B15f0hS7Im2Q3gGP_hcQPiH97UhErURT9Y40bQcEL2zfIzSnzHXwDzX94-ovOeHH_ENAQK1LNuIYO9JSW2RGpTsd1n-gtXzT-YqQHqgMssIhP2vWIx0MI-ms6z0lHXfpXIPvKPHGYFE/w640-h164/CentralSquareSens.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The central square of Sens, the late 19th century covered market at the center of the photo.<br />An Italian restaurant on the square (the building near center photo with red coloring) made<br />for a lovely location for dinner with other boaters on the evening of July 4. No fireworks, though,<br />for American Independence Day.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQfCgz8bP34MjHatOFpT3e2f6IYjYl2W-kUxCDg4Ru2GRa-VkVX7UBqWCXpfFisddrSpLz1wDdnIWYyIQlb8xcFKYKS2O0F58psMs0Bm-P9yGoWGDPVVH44KBGq0sIe2_ORcaqAV_QD6LYLsyl25TbEM3qC3BhRIHsTssVJylTsPEe0Ee51WlT0Fb60A/s2532/MainStreetSens.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2532" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQfCgz8bP34MjHatOFpT3e2f6IYjYl2W-kUxCDg4Ru2GRa-VkVX7UBqWCXpfFisddrSpLz1wDdnIWYyIQlb8xcFKYKS2O0F58psMs0Bm-P9yGoWGDPVVH44KBGq0sIe2_ORcaqAV_QD6LYLsyl25TbEM3qC3BhRIHsTssVJylTsPEe0Ee51WlT0Fb60A/w311-h400/MainStreetSens.JPG" width="311" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Grande Rue of Sens.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtN1Q6xG2uwmhXIA_OeMXbE6MHRMtf7_mDDS1DG1HuyM9ia_ZOS0nC8UHFNXDKm205-QndL4qOS-QHtUTccaJR-8mqt2gSEOFYCre3-_cJnC_Tr4qWvDrcYDjrLWZlURHKScbdA9uuW6fve6eFw6ziodrBYEz-a6azCkXYaxebEAEWYZAN-kDoJLdUW1w/s2072/MarinersChurch.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2072" data-original-width="1968" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtN1Q6xG2uwmhXIA_OeMXbE6MHRMtf7_mDDS1DG1HuyM9ia_ZOS0nC8UHFNXDKm205-QndL4qOS-QHtUTccaJR-8mqt2gSEOFYCre3-_cJnC_Tr4qWvDrcYDjrLWZlURHKScbdA9uuW6fve6eFw6ziodrBYEz-a6azCkXYaxebEAEWYZAN-kDoJLdUW1w/s320/MarinersChurch.JPG" width="304" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Maurice Church on the banks of the Yonne opposite<br />the city center. It was built during the latter part of the <br />12th C, reworked in the 16th and 17th centuries, <br />and served those who worked as fishermen and bargemen.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0_-cPkhmvc17xbhcicBb0NUKkuIBJ0ySQj4r1SIOByRGtHxn3auNC5Autbl3b6BrCGPdpYU-eXcskDjdsexp_tudylg938vjyeIVYRzrUHf9643_qKwIcsijyHjlzuNUqg-kkkK0dXK32aWtoj0hFD_WevzRuQLaS5qr4vTP1WHX2CxM9GlHxcNCsEQ/s2507/SensHoteldeVille.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2507" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0_-cPkhmvc17xbhcicBb0NUKkuIBJ0ySQj4r1SIOByRGtHxn3auNC5Autbl3b6BrCGPdpYU-eXcskDjdsexp_tudylg938vjyeIVYRzrUHf9643_qKwIcsijyHjlzuNUqg-kkkK0dXK32aWtoj0hFD_WevzRuQLaS5qr4vTP1WHX2CxM9GlHxcNCsEQ/w314-h400/SensHoteldeVille.JPG" width="314" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fabulously ornate Town Hall (Hotel de Ville) from 1904.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihd5PxAk_LMsB3DkRZAk6-iaIor66TC3DyMuqxSiezYHu9muDo8bsNdhWRPYNRr8VRUFMrBjLuSrtcfXr9tdnm0Fx8SPTa0r0V3KMdREcGHiBqC88cJGt2qlymBgOXQwm_vfEYBqx523XELmyXJ2iIwoY8ElbHL5M53j-KzPrfMRhch3aGwGw_FG82PLc/s2188/SensWallRemnant.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2188" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihd5PxAk_LMsB3DkRZAk6-iaIor66TC3DyMuqxSiezYHu9muDo8bsNdhWRPYNRr8VRUFMrBjLuSrtcfXr9tdnm0Fx8SPTa0r0V3KMdREcGHiBqC88cJGt2qlymBgOXQwm_vfEYBqx523XELmyXJ2iIwoY8ElbHL5M53j-KzPrfMRhch3aGwGw_FG82PLc/w360-h400/SensWallRemnant.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These 13th C walls and tower incorporate at their base the<br />only remaining bits of the 3rd century Roman walls that<br />used to encircle the town.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKgB0z6k2RyaSWmskoBgDPidIOsqmsa4nED2_FTPURYdmXL-tcO7U7FtpjPqpx-Ma02Xduu1nW8amc7hyyXcsgGA0LrvOMGE4-qqW4Esrgpl7mTikmE0eY4S87tvKEHykdRaCB7Q2AhkwRDuo1XkU1SmQ2rg4LGHvwyurRVQgPfrJNps0F5MST4vVmKT0/s2624/TimberedSens.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1943" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKgB0z6k2RyaSWmskoBgDPidIOsqmsa4nED2_FTPURYdmXL-tcO7U7FtpjPqpx-Ma02Xduu1nW8amc7hyyXcsgGA0LrvOMGE4-qqW4Esrgpl7mTikmE0eY4S87tvKEHykdRaCB7Q2AhkwRDuo1XkU1SmQ2rg4LGHvwyurRVQgPfrJNps0F5MST4vVmKT0/w296-h400/TimberedSens.JPG" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abraham's House was built in the 16th C for a tanner.<br />Its corner post bears the intricately carved "Jesse's Tree", <br />representing the Virgin and eight kings of Israel.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We're not always museum afficionados--most times we enjoy just doing walking tours around a town--but we were really impressed with the Sens Museum. Spread over four levels in the former Archbishop's Palace, it lays out the culture and heritage of Sens from: Prehistoric and Celtic artifacts; the Roman period of the first through third centuries; paintings and sculpture from the past 500 years; and last--but definitely not least--items from the Cathedral treasury. The latter is one of the richest treasury collections displayed in France.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VGnz0XHTx6QifLZ-6bgAuLAGw5NF1x-Qwap-id0TZyaZpnN9uMtJFnV-dvQcAay5FnUdFzsZwiTYEyxGUPEYkFenHyYMh429i5hRtl366AvKSIz6MV3jLs6azQGLUzKeTpVSw6VSc3WvYtsm1iKqBJOSgZ8SnO74I3lpLJlygwarLjhzfZbXO6zKWXM/s2624/P1040998.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VGnz0XHTx6QifLZ-6bgAuLAGw5NF1x-Qwap-id0TZyaZpnN9uMtJFnV-dvQcAay5FnUdFzsZwiTYEyxGUPEYkFenHyYMh429i5hRtl366AvKSIz6MV3jLs6azQGLUzKeTpVSw6VSc3WvYtsm1iKqBJOSgZ8SnO74I3lpLJlygwarLjhzfZbXO6zKWXM/w400-h300/P1040998.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The oldest of the archeological finds from the region.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtVoCqoCSWU1nkB1591OfXreZaer0RRxi7IOyky4zUDHkYOJgKZZvI13LWsffOP3yXBSJdypG8YIc6y_3j-skaMiH8UVvG3eww9J55nChXNYOsYolXpjc99a6Z02vUrYkAJ14XKcbkydJj8EthE17jLFSM8f5gN-_N33rgbiyNPf20GbKJ_xTOhsBVtI/s4000/Pat_SensMuseum.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtVoCqoCSWU1nkB1591OfXreZaer0RRxi7IOyky4zUDHkYOJgKZZvI13LWsffOP3yXBSJdypG8YIc6y_3j-skaMiH8UVvG3eww9J55nChXNYOsYolXpjc99a6Z02vUrYkAJ14XKcbkydJj8EthE17jLFSM8f5gN-_N33rgbiyNPf20GbKJ_xTOhsBVtI/w300-h400/Pat_SensMuseum.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pat in the lower level, with some of the Roman displays. <br />Several Roman mosaics were reconstructed on the floor.<br /> To the right is a reconstructed facade of the Roman public baths,<br /> with original pieces placed in the appropriate locations within<br /> the new plaster "wall".</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oQs1HuwhQ0an0tk7mORNpSDh2p9FBOdC1k-0g6h2FQbiN7WEx_8uoJ9JEZoBe92wGjppMc_JDfkCD0TSJJlaZ7f4g6Kj8qt7--bJXBdWEqhEpsSuFmjwskyWOpmiXM6z_xryQS_Mu2UYrcPn-6log2JOzIfjxgeRJSUtCtyYMUisXOAD9_9TCNixF_8/s1977/LonMural.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1784" data-original-width="1977" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oQs1HuwhQ0an0tk7mORNpSDh2p9FBOdC1k-0g6h2FQbiN7WEx_8uoJ9JEZoBe92wGjppMc_JDfkCD0TSJJlaZ7f4g6Kj8qt7--bJXBdWEqhEpsSuFmjwskyWOpmiXM6z_xryQS_Mu2UYrcPn-6log2JOzIfjxgeRJSUtCtyYMUisXOAD9_9TCNixF_8/w400-h361/LonMural.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon and one of the beautiful Roman mosaics.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yLQQBrGQUpQqfgL09yZ8mBlTWwC4i5pJRse1XrFT4SH-N-ay74YPzFkdN1zio0IQySi_2c97_F_JTDAbyaMDK9vBxG3TkJH8Mu2pScVT8lDXHPRZNnme46EgIq7vmhG7tysINDPq9pWr6qzpLIrpdlXijnf-K1neKQyclXOHwwG3KbnUWODK66-ajX0/s2513/LonTombs.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2513" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yLQQBrGQUpQqfgL09yZ8mBlTWwC4i5pJRse1XrFT4SH-N-ay74YPzFkdN1zio0IQySi_2c97_F_JTDAbyaMDK9vBxG3TkJH8Mu2pScVT8lDXHPRZNnme46EgIq7vmhG7tysINDPq9pWr6qzpLIrpdlXijnf-K1neKQyclXOHwwG3KbnUWODK66-ajX0/w314-h400/LonTombs.JPG" width="314" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior architecture of the museum was nearly as<br />interesting as the displays. Lon is taking a brief break in<br />the lower level among its Roman artifacts.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZmMtjqPufsr5iFaPC9KGHyvDx1cb2yrbVa-5WvYpuWwtZyeBblOkg_OiEq90iKYRRZyAjCKWFiNafkFoUGOYmyuQXqrZMjydqHiXn-SSTUpJv5DXduThppZOaebe9-5XL0JQGvpIPS8W0oHboM3bmaiD6FLRMtMcorGm1keSsZHlmImRNTb3F_Pm930/s2581/Tombs.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2581" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZmMtjqPufsr5iFaPC9KGHyvDx1cb2yrbVa-5WvYpuWwtZyeBblOkg_OiEq90iKYRRZyAjCKWFiNafkFoUGOYmyuQXqrZMjydqHiXn-SSTUpJv5DXduThppZOaebe9-5XL0JQGvpIPS8W0oHboM3bmaiD6FLRMtMcorGm1keSsZHlmImRNTb3F_Pm930/w305-h400/Tombs.JPG" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A large part of the Roman displays was dedicated to<br />a collection of Roman family tomb monuments.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoZSK31oiNB5o2a70-jvKkpMDmH_ramNY0wADtcd-nPhb0CP_JeSCVJYafgdd651JHkODkOdHwcSZMWgTNbmeUgE9Nx33uPBzPSxNNH3SCWhgvQtVaBHecUpF1gp9hp7x-KbLfQ41W8u18l7Uo5wORqZ5a35JVbJLT0l0AfhWORul_PJ-RRYwDSfQlrQ/s2378/JardindeLOrangerie.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2378" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUoZSK31oiNB5o2a70-jvKkpMDmH_ramNY0wADtcd-nPhb0CP_JeSCVJYafgdd651JHkODkOdHwcSZMWgTNbmeUgE9Nx33uPBzPSxNNH3SCWhgvQtVaBHecUpF1gp9hp7x-KbLfQ41W8u18l7Uo5wORqZ5a35JVbJLT0l0AfhWORul_PJ-RRYwDSfQlrQ/w331-h400/JardindeLOrangerie.JPG" width="331" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Jardin de l'Orangerie was once the archbishop's<br />private garden. This is the view from a window in<br />one of the upper floor galleries of the Palace/Museum.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtb029Fuv_aHCL8gXteFFZljx2Oxpmmee4kMI_T4tARqsLzxbV0tWomjeON9uvejhImHJxX2HZPszIuOxH99YyDDXuEBpUhosCCwC0OqEFCnn8kveZXxQeUvvGTxogSj491sAng1GpbYDGT3yv-c37GGEjZ9ByUATW16qnlufMmXihJXuICvNvMUztADo/s2624/Sculptures.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1936" data-original-width="2624" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtb029Fuv_aHCL8gXteFFZljx2Oxpmmee4kMI_T4tARqsLzxbV0tWomjeON9uvejhImHJxX2HZPszIuOxH99YyDDXuEBpUhosCCwC0OqEFCnn8kveZXxQeUvvGTxogSj491sAng1GpbYDGT3yv-c37GGEjZ9ByUATW16qnlufMmXihJXuICvNvMUztADo/w400-h295/Sculptures.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">18th C sculptures in the former ceremonial gallery of the<br />archbishops.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUCsQwEnrNnZd3wZQ-ZtnxY9XeBGjtbJ2d7-LeQkVWFAJKLvmqPSZA1V3HNsgnT5qvF62YaiAjELl4ngfvzXzIGLyWFeKS46Qb3ZnOReMZ7hhnzfePZiQ0fvzm1Ls0Zll0zkbpdsHHc-IqISqZ0nRuuP1SHGxP4Tt4fpjEQcmh26mBUCNafzQGE-gqhY/s2089/LonTresorRoom.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2089" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUCsQwEnrNnZd3wZQ-ZtnxY9XeBGjtbJ2d7-LeQkVWFAJKLvmqPSZA1V3HNsgnT5qvF62YaiAjELl4ngfvzXzIGLyWFeKS46Qb3ZnOReMZ7hhnzfePZiQ0fvzm1Ls0Zll0zkbpdsHHc-IqISqZ0nRuuP1SHGxP4Tt4fpjEQcmh26mBUCNafzQGE-gqhY/w376-h400/LonTresorRoom.JPG" width="376" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon in one of the rooms with the displays from the Cathedral's<br />treasury. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUaepOwWyoBFykMZ9Y97OO5EFrxvqI-MkPnAX-WPIHWilJTs7kYecsMccBhdWVQTvqglNOqmj_2yUAGb6CAphgW20kmOSTellpgmm2AVeNqyzwFJDMMFBO6YZULns9Cul8bQ3Nuaaokkk17mIXlb6tJ5UqplAAQc1f4Qa3bLYcOEbxLF5VhyuvK1FhL3c/s1859/SensTresor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1859" data-original-width="1859" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUaepOwWyoBFykMZ9Y97OO5EFrxvqI-MkPnAX-WPIHWilJTs7kYecsMccBhdWVQTvqglNOqmj_2yUAGb6CAphgW20kmOSTellpgmm2AVeNqyzwFJDMMFBO6YZULns9Cul8bQ3Nuaaokkk17mIXlb6tJ5UqplAAQc1f4Qa3bLYcOEbxLF5VhyuvK1FhL3c/w400-h400/SensTresor.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few of the treasures from the treasury: (top) a carved ivory<br />reliquary casket from the 12th C; (lower left) The Coronation<br />of the Virgin, a 15th C tapestry; (lower right) the vestments<br />that belonged to the 12th C Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas<br />Becket. Becket's disagreements with King Henry II led to his<br />self-exile to Sens from 1164 to 1170. When he was restored to<br />the position of Archbishop and returned to England, he was<br />murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by four knights of Henry II.<br />Whether the murder was ordered by Henry<br /> remains an open question.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Next year we will be traveling back through this area and will definitely be stopping again at Sens. One day, and a partial, was not nearly enough time to see everything we wanted to see.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BYkcDqpykDCCMNljYRC3vRtYNx5cYbzver4G2GCGaqeaelFOs0ifA7tL5Z4kjz9NH9XkNEh7kXum4vbyLraaXtZWJOqLr5g17SoHgUssx8f8upQs98VUGe9qDTd0N3u5cflsPezW_WsM3T-_N_ysDsuepiHKIkpEANrCF7dnInm-_W5l5zCJNOlx8-w/s2624/SensMooring.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="2624" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BYkcDqpykDCCMNljYRC3vRtYNx5cYbzver4G2GCGaqeaelFOs0ifA7tL5Z4kjz9NH9XkNEh7kXum4vbyLraaXtZWJOqLr5g17SoHgUssx8f8upQs98VUGe9qDTd0N3u5cflsPezW_WsM3T-_N_ysDsuepiHKIkpEANrCF7dnInm-_W5l5zCJNOlx8-w/w640-h188/SensMooring.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our mooring in Sens. We're just to the left of the center and behind us are the barges<br />of others headed to Auxerre.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div></div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-59414991900556450662023-07-02T13:19:00.000-07:002023-07-02T13:19:57.068-07:00Conspicuous Consumption <p>One of the reasons that we stayed for two nights in Melun--besides stretching out our cruise time so that we don't arrive in Auxerre too early--was to be able to visit the Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte just a few kilometers outside of Melun. The chateau was the creation of three artisans of the mid-1600's engaged by Nicolas Fouquet, the superintendent of finances to Louis XIV.</p><p>The original property owned by Fouquet had a small chateau; however, Monsieur Fouquet had grand ambitions and extravagant taste. When all was said and done, three villages had been purchased and destroyed to obtain enough land for the enlarged chateau and gardens. Built between 1658 and 1661, it is one of the largest castles in France and became an inspiration for the Palace of Versailles. Unfortunately for Fouquet, he didn't have much time to enjoy what had been created for him. He had hoped to impress Louis XIV with the grandeur--in fact, part of the chateau was constructed with rooms specifically for the king--but a too-lavish celebration to honor the King on August 17, 1661, and court intrigues led by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, convinced Louis that the home was constructed with misappropriated public funds. Fouquet was replaced in his position by Colbert, who later had Fouquet arrested for embezzlement as well as treason. </p><p>Fouquet's subsequent trial dragged on for nearly three years. Found guilty of embezzlement, the presiding judges voted for banishment rather than death, but Louis XIV used his pardoning power to change the sentence to life imprisonment. This was the only time in French history a Monarch used his pardoning power to worsen a sentence. Fouquet died in Pignerol prison in the Alps in 1680.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocPQp1pT6Th0C8WTOguEXsiingcddPlz-xPsXY8-E-OqoHb8vp-zVc4901yuhhf28WA0dew09nCq4yI8RFXzm1_DvRBa8qwcUpwyD6dXNfQllSzIXdrI9ChvtBR5dT3kFgTluBelWYQRJWCan0RB_ENmoIsIkTGMg35u54odBD-HjX_yaVrXlK-lKsdo/s2624/ChateauFront.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1618" data-original-width="2624" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocPQp1pT6Th0C8WTOguEXsiingcddPlz-xPsXY8-E-OqoHb8vp-zVc4901yuhhf28WA0dew09nCq4yI8RFXzm1_DvRBa8qwcUpwyD6dXNfQllSzIXdrI9ChvtBR5dT3kFgTluBelWYQRJWCan0RB_ENmoIsIkTGMg35u54odBD-HjX_yaVrXlK-lKsdo/w400-h246/ChateauFront.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The front of the chateau. It barely escaped destruction during<br />the French Revolution, but managed to remain intact until<br /> cooler heads prevailed in the late-1790's. It is currently the<br />largest private estate listed as a Historical Monument in France.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-_-cGnRRBY0IDbJYWSmR9oN3aaVcOdaMEcx9-FariWVCDfMhGlCZmT3K-YsQjgXJjpZQuNeJwiD7Jrr-l3ItGsozadTAFKv44DgW17wKN2g2O1pcjVEYaExGO5MDPgoDhZQg7Qa2aPKb4a0RX0H-Nw4KzH65NEc2Zy0EslBc0rNzZlajQir5ZCRfVv4/s2550/ChateauBAck.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1653" data-original-width="2550" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-_-cGnRRBY0IDbJYWSmR9oN3aaVcOdaMEcx9-FariWVCDfMhGlCZmT3K-YsQjgXJjpZQuNeJwiD7Jrr-l3ItGsozadTAFKv44DgW17wKN2g2O1pcjVEYaExGO5MDPgoDhZQg7Qa2aPKb4a0RX0H-Nw4KzH65NEc2Zy0EslBc0rNzZlajQir5ZCRfVv4/w400-h259/ChateauBAck.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the back of the chateau, with a portion of the gardens.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPtRxG5c29cZxsv5Ibl6ZooRtiBiGBXKjfIId_Yy52Z2aTL-fqH87nU-qn4qcvfb8yj029s7TjmemJkNRtIPFDNZ9d8eHKuidiL0p-yIhMrxjyAV_rVuYtX3zeW4g47XoavNuotzRvm27ApBeAfEAkE6yYW0HSFQTDXDC4WTrP4t-QzOsktwlnXVvi0U/s2624/LPGardens.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1787" data-original-width="2624" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPtRxG5c29cZxsv5Ibl6ZooRtiBiGBXKjfIId_Yy52Z2aTL-fqH87nU-qn4qcvfb8yj029s7TjmemJkNRtIPFDNZ9d8eHKuidiL0p-yIhMrxjyAV_rVuYtX3zeW4g47XoavNuotzRvm27ApBeAfEAkE6yYW0HSFQTDXDC4WTrP4t-QzOsktwlnXVvi0U/w400-h272/LPGardens.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing at the bottom of the back steps, with the sweep of the<br />center lawn/formal gardens behind us. The woodsy areas to each<br />side are also part of the estate.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4usJZc9d4yPeAyE6O5ODLXiJJunJk9hCZ4rKSzzWuc50tWpg1evjKkw2A4yfaHRMrrKVtA27Ydc4VCHU0Ly8tRHhECN27L_mtcmRXWhzSr1mySHuutrfJRYk3uJ3VadfyNHKOPM9eJcmukd25HECp8C7yroBNbf_z-pArO3-tEKiHGihffBAPsZpEZI/s2624/ViewtoFRont.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1722" data-original-width="2624" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4usJZc9d4yPeAyE6O5ODLXiJJunJk9hCZ4rKSzzWuc50tWpg1evjKkw2A4yfaHRMrrKVtA27Ydc4VCHU0Ly8tRHhECN27L_mtcmRXWhzSr1mySHuutrfJRYk3uJ3VadfyNHKOPM9eJcmukd25HECp8C7yroBNbf_z-pArO3-tEKiHGihffBAPsZpEZI/w400-h263/ViewtoFRont.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the 2nd floor balcony in one wing of the chateau,<br />overlooking the front lawn and the stables.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vbDLihZRgOQYsKShv0dVlkdg5Cnx0ujzJtRQYlA_akCBZdXwx32qnpnqcKa4gwII5J5cXGhmbDr2zir1UPQxza6LnLNjIq83MkDx-h7bM1LAIDQKdW1ECq5TlxgNjyrLQr9kWuNzQuZhdgm3cuSn8a0KmjO9Wqi1F53rfByJA5VWFElfDu9XgMhHtbQ/s2624/CeilingBedchamber.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1954" data-original-width="2624" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vbDLihZRgOQYsKShv0dVlkdg5Cnx0ujzJtRQYlA_akCBZdXwx32qnpnqcKa4gwII5J5cXGhmbDr2zir1UPQxza6LnLNjIq83MkDx-h7bM1LAIDQKdW1ECq5TlxgNjyrLQr9kWuNzQuZhdgm3cuSn8a0KmjO9Wqi1F53rfByJA5VWFElfDu9XgMhHtbQ/w400-h297/CeilingBedchamber.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If it's Louis XIV era decorating--and especially if designed to<br />impress the king himself--you know that paintings and gold <br />are going to be <i>everywhere.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2WZeiRCQY_72-37603uBgFGCpFwpb13mQyv78vFG7Ei3IZuAfNnnmySDu3XnTryC3JrwJ77rP3NwY3-s-epEmtPsPOaxUoXpbOA1dnf_5ziKCzJjCzdInvosBzk9-WHQ9ncGGb9IrYDPDFQG22kt7OxVqU6Miz33ydyNTHYE3DHsibi47EnRp0mrgkqY/s2206/DiningRoom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2206" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2WZeiRCQY_72-37603uBgFGCpFwpb13mQyv78vFG7Ei3IZuAfNnnmySDu3XnTryC3JrwJ77rP3NwY3-s-epEmtPsPOaxUoXpbOA1dnf_5ziKCzJjCzdInvosBzk9-WHQ9ncGGb9IrYDPDFQG22kt7OxVqU6Miz33ydyNTHYE3DHsibi47EnRp0mrgkqY/w356-h400/DiningRoom.JPG" width="356" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dining room.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2NyhEMT9q_JcQBZgUL9E1wvL4j5b1yf-_pDuxesrfbitHR9HXLe9Vc6zU45uLD7KWo5mq8_ENScfMwsEsypITj1Ei9ev0SFSHMt5e27UIyZsujMNamNKiWuOygA9_g7AxJkO-084MTRE2_q7rBSzzryGa5JS_1anxOGthPGEwIkHLmWDo7X9K54U6V8/s5264/KingsBedchamber.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1837" data-original-width="5264" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2NyhEMT9q_JcQBZgUL9E1wvL4j5b1yf-_pDuxesrfbitHR9HXLe9Vc6zU45uLD7KWo5mq8_ENScfMwsEsypITj1Ei9ev0SFSHMt5e27UIyZsujMNamNKiWuOygA9_g7AxJkO-084MTRE2_q7rBSzzryGa5JS_1anxOGthPGEwIkHLmWDo7X9K54U6V8/w640-h224/KingsBedchamber.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The king's bedroom.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDAl_ozxQmfNHSETMu8L4pd31CylXEElGO6mP4nIeeh5k_ioBptCKlTGnKaJqua-fFMUZjlHz-E3Re09g0DrTtM29B8jTJapB4T3HMaE_gkI9oec1QQOLfAPRbhult7541DrVNjYZ5nRhAgy6QefhdIS6eV6g_ky7nF97IAWkfIWQ_fGzJE5Wlw5sc_g/s2624/SquareRoom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1928" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDAl_ozxQmfNHSETMu8L4pd31CylXEElGO6mP4nIeeh5k_ioBptCKlTGnKaJqua-fFMUZjlHz-E3Re09g0DrTtM29B8jTJapB4T3HMaE_gkI9oec1QQOLfAPRbhult7541DrVNjYZ5nRhAgy6QefhdIS6eV6g_ky7nF97IAWkfIWQ_fGzJE5Wlw5sc_g/w294-h400/SquareRoom.JPG" width="294" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rooms are decorated with authentic 17th C<br />furnishings, as though Nicolas Fouquet and<br />his family were living there. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9pGlGyxbGQJKiiB3JPJSF2gi2WO1yXKCGEFkIJKw6HW1w_2el0ijpgIkQW23kb6Zqw5csS4p61905XWQGMyTs-IM6tIQul4RbQ5eK5zf0hwylhvzNoS8pl-idxy7T0kvHsFKSBs56jvq7kiwoUA5WXIti-XTJWqJHejm4x9qBX7gp94WuJXec5FdVNM/s2624/WindowDecorations.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1759" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR9pGlGyxbGQJKiiB3JPJSF2gi2WO1yXKCGEFkIJKw6HW1w_2el0ijpgIkQW23kb6Zqw5csS4p61905XWQGMyTs-IM6tIQul4RbQ5eK5zf0hwylhvzNoS8pl-idxy7T0kvHsFKSBs56jvq7kiwoUA5WXIti-XTJWqJHejm4x9qBX7gp94WuJXec5FdVNM/w269-h400/WindowDecorations.JPG" width="269" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decorated panels on the shutters of<br />an interior window.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>After visiting Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte, we felt better about not visiting the Palace of Versailles when we were in Paris. There were considerably less visitors than we would have encountered in Versailles. We did have to deal with several tour groups of schoolchildren, but thankfully, they only created a bottleneck at the end of our tour inside the chateau.</div><div><br /></div><div>The weather has continued to stay dry and not too hot, so our cruising days have been very pleasant. The Seine continues to be green, quiet, and a world away from the riots that have been occurring in cities and towns in France the past few days.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3C0YJwBQO-hAXFelfCslhOkvvmds_-crsMh8KpzUS0DjaxFZB38FW_OWL8eXxpMLI6xw8D6QTOUP-PVaeWnGqCr78aTFhxvA_aslraiVinUkrXhBn3wxFMQicjmNMC_U4UK9cZVSsXhM9Wr5otdYp1mzkpRsQHC5G79WUTqko1jyO3ULP9ceCLWv1LC0/s902/SEineHouses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="902" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3C0YJwBQO-hAXFelfCslhOkvvmds_-crsMh8KpzUS0DjaxFZB38FW_OWL8eXxpMLI6xw8D6QTOUP-PVaeWnGqCr78aTFhxvA_aslraiVinUkrXhBn3wxFMQicjmNMC_U4UK9cZVSsXhM9Wr5otdYp1mzkpRsQHC5G79WUTqko1jyO3ULP9ceCLWv1LC0/w400-h400/SEineHouses.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are stretches with absolutely stunning houses.</td></tr></tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8n9bjoCy032EPPgvw3psx60zf69qgIHbIxHAkfnZ8JoRf5JG7dqwNE4l7UmAcY2tiLFRU6uSfd-65HXudwX9JuIJ44-bnh5Gwl08VxK5uYjHnwtip5l-Hp6ZzGI3002oPhgRJx3BKt0s_GJQ-WacwDtGIfvFIlLM2IGoa5HfDSCP1j6risFyS2Dg--gg/s2624/Sharing%20Lock.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1401" data-original-width="2624" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8n9bjoCy032EPPgvw3psx60zf69qgIHbIxHAkfnZ8JoRf5JG7dqwNE4l7UmAcY2tiLFRU6uSfd-65HXudwX9JuIJ44-bnh5Gwl08VxK5uYjHnwtip5l-Hp6ZzGI3002oPhgRJx3BKt0s_GJQ-WacwDtGIfvFIlLM2IGoa5HfDSCP1j6risFyS2Dg--gg/w400-h214/Sharing%20Lock.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most of the locks on the Seine have had two chambers, so we have<br />rarely had to wait for a lock passage and at the most we've shared a<br />lock with another pleasure boat. However, the small chamber of <br />Lock 2 was under construction, so we had a small delay while <br />waiting to share the lock with another pleasure barge and this <br />commercial barge that pulled in next to us.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>For our stop on Friday we turned onto the Canal de Loing for about 1 kilometer to reach the halte nautique in the town of Moret-sur-Loing. For several centuries in the Middle Ages it was a fortified royal town, and while most of the ramparts are long gone, it has retained two of its Medieval entry gates, its church, the keep of the 12th C. castle (where Nicolas Fouquet was locked up after his arrest, under the watchful eye of Musketeer d'Artagnan), and in its town center, the typical narrow and winding streets of a Medieval town. Moret-sur-Loing was also the home of Alfred Sisley, a well-known impressionist painter.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBv6RE-8WOaBVrww2BKt2wjWmlEqYwG0UBR5u2-j7J0u_EhyNFJU4EWuvl1WiVYK_8gJBYiUK_0dHZvyxpwVsEid92bwDPerSpJ0lPrlJDPp4AikvVY5p3UUQqMYPrqMYX-JEXxvJ-fAENQLK7gCu0TrY9WmzMUQ5Tr1B4BGNuGqG6wF5O1OblphiuBUU/s2542/BurgogneGAte.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1735" data-original-width="2542" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBv6RE-8WOaBVrww2BKt2wjWmlEqYwG0UBR5u2-j7J0u_EhyNFJU4EWuvl1WiVYK_8gJBYiUK_0dHZvyxpwVsEid92bwDPerSpJ0lPrlJDPp4AikvVY5p3UUQqMYPrqMYX-JEXxvJ-fAENQLK7gCu0TrY9WmzMUQ5Tr1B4BGNuGqG6wF5O1OblphiuBUU/w400-h272/BurgogneGAte.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Gate of Burgundy, the east gate into the town. The old<br />timbered building to the right of the gate housed a restaurant<br />with <i>delicious</i> crepes.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtfQqXng-Uj5qLGPyooRwaZ9aAqSkfjt1Wxs3YP_Z3nYz4UeCh8suETR7e5L-osh_NT5b7AhP1yL3NM7IgwV5u7TOLuu8mmrx4uY7oBim8P67V9-VKUvM8gyNJBA5km9q_b5YMO1NHGLXij47ZZye4Nxt6YkY2DJmqOJ4VZzuV13IqewvKnh-lr-ZMdw/s2538/Framed%20Church.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2538" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtfQqXng-Uj5qLGPyooRwaZ9aAqSkfjt1Wxs3YP_Z3nYz4UeCh8suETR7e5L-osh_NT5b7AhP1yL3NM7IgwV5u7TOLuu8mmrx4uY7oBim8P67V9-VKUvM8gyNJBA5km9q_b5YMO1NHGLXij47ZZye4Nxt6YkY2DJmqOJ4VZzuV13IqewvKnh-lr-ZMdw/w310-h400/Framed%20Church.JPG" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativite church<br />(12th-13th C) as seen through a portal of one of the old<br /> mills on the Loing River.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57pKKRp9P4W1SrVo-PWeTRuikabnBiSvu3HvxALKRLx6cTTUN0Oz3e1_sVOMHdx2hP2Q-nAnh9iAK8KORvEOIvsj5GEI8wjCSYh5TsMLhRlLA0ZI9E26wQ95HFovt9ahyP4wEwd5iYkIj6bnr7Sv8uh4dHnOM9jCcRcQkLfMyM1qNGbIf51s-_oiS0DQ/s2151/MainSTreet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2151" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57pKKRp9P4W1SrVo-PWeTRuikabnBiSvu3HvxALKRLx6cTTUN0Oz3e1_sVOMHdx2hP2Q-nAnh9iAK8KORvEOIvsj5GEI8wjCSYh5TsMLhRlLA0ZI9E26wQ95HFovt9ahyP4wEwd5iYkIj6bnr7Sv8uh4dHnOM9jCcRcQkLfMyM1qNGbIf51s-_oiS0DQ/w366-h400/MainSTreet.JPG" width="366" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down the main street of Moret-sur-Loing from the<br />Burgundy Gate toward the Samois Gate, the western entry<br />into the old town.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQBLQy6OIb0qGjEOoLn52jdNETbcxL6aDdTlZk13Ay78qic6-0da39m6dyxPACTXz32nIZVZHW67OGQ8bCUIJkudkw29AvK0716NGp7X2sYGf0VZrKguEW7OgPp7HgfdXTERgQYGhpkF6Ni-sHnie5IIsyludSonwcCGmb5oBMBPIxlCuSwoKOjgLJcI/s4080/MillsAndWater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2752" data-original-width="4080" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQBLQy6OIb0qGjEOoLn52jdNETbcxL6aDdTlZk13Ay78qic6-0da39m6dyxPACTXz32nIZVZHW67OGQ8bCUIJkudkw29AvK0716NGp7X2sYGf0VZrKguEW7OgPp7HgfdXTERgQYGhpkF6Ni-sHnie5IIsyludSonwcCGmb5oBMBPIxlCuSwoKOjgLJcI/w400-h270/MillsAndWater.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Graciot Mill on the Loing River, formerly used in the<br />tanning process, now an arts center.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfmRcuXVZJZC77S_W7yyz7pZ_3nTfEfTIaAIGVlqtzm0TZoRNze2ng0dDwfHF0PhoEO0lSSHsr60UScwa8RVulf6qo89yXZevCBvLNqLHO3r8JmXVvV8zGLdZpzKJDdKcH_23tpUEKjE7O2VUp6CJMQ9wcwh-fdJ_WlG9F9UMaXvM9Fdo1xJJwG1eGJ0/s2550/Organ.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1876" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfmRcuXVZJZC77S_W7yyz7pZ_3nTfEfTIaAIGVlqtzm0TZoRNze2ng0dDwfHF0PhoEO0lSSHsr60UScwa8RVulf6qo89yXZevCBvLNqLHO3r8JmXVvV8zGLdZpzKJDdKcH_23tpUEKjE7O2VUp6CJMQ9wcwh-fdJ_WlG9F9UMaXvM9Fdo1xJJwG1eGJ0/w294-h400/Organ.JPG" width="294" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The church's Renaissance organ, among the<br />oldest in France.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19OxN3hAHv1s8nr7JagykVKVfKh1fotDa68w148nqU-puFn1NgBtt2wpdNnhFUXLV3AVjfeCaIdoas7LRPcDB1rZPL6CMqIFvZEB6I_M5qHEvNxUcma5jTEn81mKjvgUioBjDw1nS45SxCrhX1jR6GEpNIjjjaJ4tUBo-Qnsgg4nhTbGZGMXJiIZSxzU/s2499/REnaissanceWall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1623" data-original-width="2499" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19OxN3hAHv1s8nr7JagykVKVfKh1fotDa68w148nqU-puFn1NgBtt2wpdNnhFUXLV3AVjfeCaIdoas7LRPcDB1rZPL6CMqIFvZEB6I_M5qHEvNxUcma5jTEn81mKjvgUioBjDw1nS45SxCrhX1jR6GEpNIjjjaJ4tUBo-Qnsgg4nhTbGZGMXJiIZSxzU/w400-h260/REnaissanceWall.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Francis I facade, dating from 1527, was originally located<br />on the main street of Moret-sur-Loing. In the 1800's it was<br />purchased by a cavalry colonel who dismantled it and moved it<br />to Paris so that it could become the facade of a townhouse for<br />his mistress. It was purchased by the town of Moret-sur-Loing and<br />returned to the town in 1955, where it was rebuilt in the <br />courtyard of the town hall.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4W6jtz758bqAb-UK3aEdUVeZhGHJSHqr2yS3cAblx9LhAVljLROaRrg2J6-62I6LgsL0ECd4xE90diiEl0XKxPnIG8cTDJq40F3ElSXGxlC6mZW_fmxCt270wGd4BsmfzuZAnNPi4XNVSIDxyGv_HBxaEcLFE8_DV1Dp4962ctiRpEhNLF6SwmbvFDQE/s5300/Skyline.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1249" data-original-width="5300" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4W6jtz758bqAb-UK3aEdUVeZhGHJSHqr2yS3cAblx9LhAVljLROaRrg2J6-62I6LgsL0ECd4xE90diiEl0XKxPnIG8cTDJq40F3ElSXGxlC6mZW_fmxCt270wGd4BsmfzuZAnNPi4XNVSIDxyGv_HBxaEcLFE8_DV1Dp4962ctiRpEhNLF6SwmbvFDQE/w640-h150/Skyline.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The skyline of the town from the Pre de Pins park on the banks of the Loing. Sisley painted <br />several canvases from vantage points in the park (as well as elsewhere in the town).<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Today we continued cruising, completing our time on the Seine River and starting up the Yonne River, the last waterway on our way to Auxerre. We didn't spend any time exploring our overnight stop in Montereau-fault-Yonne, not because it wouldn't have been worthwhile, but the mooring quay wasn't in the optimum location for us to do so without expending more energy than we wanted to. Hopefully, we will be able to correct that next spring, when we anticipate returning this way during the 2024 cruising season. Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-55728169329500434482023-06-29T13:52:00.002-07:002024-01-03T06:47:00.795-08:00Moving On<p>We took it pretty easy during our last few days in Paris--neighborhood strolls, a movie, evening get-togethers with boating friends, a little shopping, and some final preparations for departing the Arsenal on June 27. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7ZtJHB0N-vAoplWhPJDYyiv_tKB_HMbj9MBAjBT_tvTXQL-iWV__RcYlpCHpeHSSvwWGas-kcH0oTG_YzCzgr_0U7RB89Ur2Pqy-mxPvRNtRzlGY-3ay1BYqedSfNnxNDpwCQr0T8mDcFmlqUOkOC66RcZUjWuzsBakRDOw6fqwtTgWTtgrverqb7SU/s2046/collage1-COLLAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2046" data-original-width="2046" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7ZtJHB0N-vAoplWhPJDYyiv_tKB_HMbj9MBAjBT_tvTXQL-iWV__RcYlpCHpeHSSvwWGas-kcH0oTG_YzCzgr_0U7RB89Ur2Pqy-mxPvRNtRzlGY-3ay1BYqedSfNnxNDpwCQr0T8mDcFmlqUOkOC66RcZUjWuzsBakRDOw6fqwtTgWTtgrverqb7SU/w400-h400/collage1-COLLAGE.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wandering the streets of Ile Saint-Louis (the smaller of the two islands<br />in the Seine that comprised the heart of the old city), we were astounded<br />by how many buildings had plaques denoting past owners and/or<br />residents: for example, the photo in the lower right was that of a residence<br />of the Nobel prize winning physicists Marie and Pierre Curie.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HnbQFpzc1wzb5NVp3cC35Reslbd3OjPVVWhd3k0OUQzpSWlT6-PPrsUzYcR2olwPjeeZj6XHpJsWptnN3R4DlHQkcEX-x33V2qqm6PhGnhSE8Ga0-hor9l9FgDUJi2Md_CiV3tPPSEiffIJIfy_zwayeqS4C59qhlFSZ0KVDg9nY2lKT8ftQ8e0OTZU/s2198/RueColombe.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2198" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HnbQFpzc1wzb5NVp3cC35Reslbd3OjPVVWhd3k0OUQzpSWlT6-PPrsUzYcR2olwPjeeZj6XHpJsWptnN3R4DlHQkcEX-x33V2qqm6PhGnhSE8Ga0-hor9l9FgDUJi2Md_CiV3tPPSEiffIJIfy_zwayeqS4C59qhlFSZ0KVDg9nY2lKT8ftQ8e0OTZU/w359-h400/RueColombe.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="359" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The House of the Doves on Rue de la Colombe, the site of a <br />medieval legend about the rescue of two doves from the ruins of<br />a collapsed building who became symbols of marital devotion--and <br />where a patient French bulldog (at left) waits for its owner to exit<br />the wine bar that now inhabits the ground floor. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2480" data-original-width="1655" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmpWmfFJbxtStIv8WAeFDpz6bb4wHcjJpeBmEcTmDbV5OJXA4UvMjZxN6WwvU5gWEegnF5rMTYfmh3PYV32xkH1gceV0x8SIGODplE_E1f7ZHAv3hYdTzu4DO926zFvqWVYXo6wQtSNFWsj7wkY_Z22URzYTILF8KI7k_9-BiiPHxJVLrOrS8gSusDq0/w268-h400/coveredflowermkt.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="268" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Covered flower market on the Ile de la Cite.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVp3kIz7YyXudA0o1K90aD9kfwhrvIDiv4UcSSWZGY9DIu7-_pN0z5KtVmNMcQYf4oGh2k5qO4tBpQXjJLUy7GvuNu-KDlldjVTa8DpQy6f8EOGjTz-YzqCA0A0Aajhyc0WKpVg0a6d_jB2AWNIZreWfNq89rfn1wWf3lwI0SayGJz98IxV6wkDAkrfI/s4080/Stadium.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1963" data-original-width="4080" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVp3kIz7YyXudA0o1K90aD9kfwhrvIDiv4UcSSWZGY9DIu7-_pN0z5KtVmNMcQYf4oGh2k5qO4tBpQXjJLUy7GvuNu-KDlldjVTa8DpQy6f8EOGjTz-YzqCA0A0Aajhyc0WKpVg0a6d_jB2AWNIZreWfNq89rfn1wWf3lwI0SayGJz98IxV6wkDAkrfI/w400-h193/Stadium.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grass and glass--the Accor Arena, a popular concert and sports<br /> venue near the Paris Bercy train station.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjk1qGttWWY67SJHdG9cqSh1uwAm6SEu8glSszIIK8airna_Ha1Ct2hHuHsDnMTQSLvEAs69fAuOCHUF05nUcr7a_iHx1ZIRYkgMTCp1aqMVvHHFPW3lIeSEpnk1qLzUKM2O0i4B5ERau36nic6IzSRXCSjZhQlchvOD7qiwjedIr5PI9dgbHoQ6Z5i6k/s3669/MargaretJohn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3669" data-original-width="3022" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjk1qGttWWY67SJHdG9cqSh1uwAm6SEu8glSszIIK8airna_Ha1Ct2hHuHsDnMTQSLvEAs69fAuOCHUF05nUcr7a_iHx1ZIRYkgMTCp1aqMVvHHFPW3lIeSEpnk1qLzUKM2O0i4B5ERau36nic6IzSRXCSjZhQlchvOD7qiwjedIr5PI9dgbHoQ6Z5i6k/w330-h400/MargaretJohn.jpg" width="330" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our New Zealand boating friends from last year, Margaret<br /> and John, cruised into the Arsenal on Sunday, June 25,<br /> and we were able to have a catch up/farewell dinner on <br />Monday evening.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>It took until Sunday for us to get back to the National Archives and actually go into the building. There were more people around than when Mecki and I had visited a few days earlier (the surrounding streets were packed with people shopping and strolling on a warm weekend day), but it's not one of those items on the "must see/must do" lists of most tourists, so once we got off of the shopping streets we weren't fighting crowds.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Museum of the National Archives is housed in the Hotel (Mansion) de Soubise, an 18th century building built on the site--and incorporating remnants--of two previous mansions, the original from the late 14th century and its 16th century successor. It was the residence of the family of the Prince of Soubise until it was seized during the French Revolution and sold. In1808 it was acquired by the government of France and assigned by Napoleon to the National Archives. To house an ever-increasing number of records, several record repositories were added to the site during the 19th century. </div><div><br /></div><div>The museum allows for a visit of the living quarters of the Prince and Princess Soubise, where several of the rooms are used for temporary exhibitions and for the display of facsimiles of some of the important and interesting archival materials (such as the last letter of Marie Antoinette). When we were there, the special exhibition was on the French Revolution.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjVXFLf-RAJkfDlQbPE5SdAXz6qNE3lvldhbljL1s52hopS0cnXVKKOel6dyQSaduErirj1VSv7ETRKakmo0maZvevi1jTjVn3arDX3AMLdJUtBV1N3DIUcNgnP59zItoj2SKr0uLTHkTosvP_aVdPG1nAeZlYZyAGB5yzYcm3WdnSJEfi1FjkGKxAziE/s3455/ARchivesTowers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3455" data-original-width="2605" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjVXFLf-RAJkfDlQbPE5SdAXz6qNE3lvldhbljL1s52hopS0cnXVKKOel6dyQSaduErirj1VSv7ETRKakmo0maZvevi1jTjVn3arDX3AMLdJUtBV1N3DIUcNgnP59zItoj2SKr0uLTHkTosvP_aVdPG1nAeZlYZyAGB5yzYcm3WdnSJEfi1FjkGKxAziE/w301-h400/ARchivesTowers.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After several rounds of renovations over the centuries, <br />the turreted tower is the only remaining piece of<br />the original 14th century medieval building.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMqQlvHYCGZeDg-fRoxdhWCI7AdPq0-YE_W5ujq3icPfDJ3zIeQL_e82VswTJw5s82nQOCYqjRe3w_nK2X1kymbOoIRpgGCoYbDuiAplYqfFGOYPmO_KIJGoNViyJ_vOz_e62ytyMcEbwFWMyE6Q0l7U1fLiwjkUkJ7LcEhu64bFXqkMTOL_NTYD3fl0/s4080/ARchivesRoomInt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2594" data-original-width="4080" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMqQlvHYCGZeDg-fRoxdhWCI7AdPq0-YE_W5ujq3icPfDJ3zIeQL_e82VswTJw5s82nQOCYqjRe3w_nK2X1kymbOoIRpgGCoYbDuiAplYqfFGOYPmO_KIJGoNViyJ_vOz_e62ytyMcEbwFWMyE6Q0l7U1fLiwjkUkJ7LcEhu64bFXqkMTOL_NTYD3fl0/w400-h254/ARchivesRoomInt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Princess' Ceremonial Room. The furniture and the wall<br />coverings are authentic; the ladder and plant material were part <br />of a contemporary artistic installation.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSkhpbma5G6BiWHpKOX20a84gvLB3OYm1mMAGOWf2CfguOX3qHHsxIG0DgRwwK7uDjBYJ2MLuiL9R8Kjm0YS5p4k7s_rJw-Br0DF-PTphtHMyiEZwdwT4JuNoynw1gPpWczhdqvqckqNJt1_uiaJb6QDB2BeYv_nKz9rQDNQABEc65SDnjnn9QX0fYFk/s3832/ArchivesStairs.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3832" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSkhpbma5G6BiWHpKOX20a84gvLB3OYm1mMAGOWf2CfguOX3qHHsxIG0DgRwwK7uDjBYJ2MLuiL9R8Kjm0YS5p4k7s_rJw-Br0DF-PTphtHMyiEZwdwT4JuNoynw1gPpWczhdqvqckqNJt1_uiaJb6QDB2BeYv_nKz9rQDNQABEc65SDnjnn9QX0fYFk/w320-h400/ArchivesStairs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grand staircase.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqVv75TW5QUC4TsBwWA4A6Z5EnHhyqPpmF-nuH1nKR-tqqoVK6asDPsQFoA42PNamCseOzUX0cR-aUDzwcbCpmWfbcVwzCS-VBU8S3Yyrb2fvE2Opiltm2ZMypRxicSuD5UqWwbQ_IpXeAKDtCFMDeygvQH6Jn8GfU_W40bs0pJJITYD0wTkqzyRyofA/s3707/oldestDoc625.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3707" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqVv75TW5QUC4TsBwWA4A6Z5EnHhyqPpmF-nuH1nKR-tqqoVK6asDPsQFoA42PNamCseOzUX0cR-aUDzwcbCpmWfbcVwzCS-VBU8S3Yyrb2fvE2Opiltm2ZMypRxicSuD5UqWwbQ_IpXeAKDtCFMDeygvQH6Jn8GfU_W40bs0pJJITYD0wTkqzyRyofA/w248-h400/oldestDoc625.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From 695, a declaration on land ownership<br />from King Childebert II.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>All good things must come to an end, hopefully to make way for other good things. It was hard to believe how quickly our 3 weeks in Paris passed, but there we were on Tuesday, June 27, leaving the lock of the Arsenal and heading upstream on the Seine.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNU2T_3NaipM_uEzcJnKz4P0bJRweT-vglTKvoFZGLi6PTPY-J2V36_V3k-vcCuW8m2moRQhtARE1JVnZoHBNP2afxD1deNPmyeKwDoscMjxxXUkdYOJWD_-vafyBS7PPNu2fiiRhRkKxARCoCpOPXZSLKrVLfgXOv48xwSlhBXuS62UiaEndmhStZ9U/s2624/LeavingArsenal.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1765" data-original-width="2624" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNU2T_3NaipM_uEzcJnKz4P0bJRweT-vglTKvoFZGLi6PTPY-J2V36_V3k-vcCuW8m2moRQhtARE1JVnZoHBNP2afxD1deNPmyeKwDoscMjxxXUkdYOJWD_-vafyBS7PPNu2fiiRhRkKxARCoCpOPXZSLKrVLfgXOv48xwSlhBXuS62UiaEndmhStZ9U/w400-h269/LeavingArsenal.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It doesn't seem that long ago that we were making the turn<br /><i>into</i> the lock.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The first section that we travelled on the river was very urbanized and not exactly scenic. But as we continued on during that first day of cruising--and certainly on the second--it was much greener and quite attractive. Each lock has two chambers, big and bigger, to accommodate commercial barges that can range up to 110 meters in length. There aren't a lot of moorings for pleasure craft along this stretch of waterway, so on the first day of cruising we moored on the upstream quay of the lock at the town of Evry. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrepBhPz5qYS53yYiz7fbkVW2JOtyTXtWm-QQWWtJzA4eGfbw4eTbF1wCSNbFOHn5bthy3FMGxduJb2Lh-5yEZkCJrZ2yHFkYOPR9gYkz3FYLfWrR-PjKmPPjndwgf9DQmBzH9VRq1xrpu6-rsbvUgA17E_bDYfztHd51V_MUjVI87Fr9wgkn5HsDu5g/s2789/Evry.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2789" data-original-width="2574" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrepBhPz5qYS53yYiz7fbkVW2JOtyTXtWm-QQWWtJzA4eGfbw4eTbF1wCSNbFOHn5bthy3FMGxduJb2Lh-5yEZkCJrZ2yHFkYOPR9gYkz3FYLfWrR-PjKmPPjndwgf9DQmBzH9VRq1xrpu6-rsbvUgA17E_bDYfztHd51V_MUjVI87Fr9wgkn5HsDu5g/w369-h400/Evry.jpg" width="369" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evry is a spread-out, and in many ways commercialized,<br />exurban area of Paris, but we did find a 12th century<br />church in the old village center.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06U0KgNDUeoOd7K9dC5cl03kOHoThsjF7R3cDNn61b5xsKimiVo0XNKZjATyCe4k2OjuvJbxwSjnih5BuDCPjg0IHRGXBnHrKPlqDPrq59sUjEXaq9ddZlzZ5hagMwvaAb2jJaPxToP6kWQ3pXCjXXOoSmwYDo-9c2xHGix0u_LfyUeedhl_eBrwEWZ4/s2624/LiveaboardsSeine.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1420" data-original-width="2624" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06U0KgNDUeoOd7K9dC5cl03kOHoThsjF7R3cDNn61b5xsKimiVo0XNKZjATyCe4k2OjuvJbxwSjnih5BuDCPjg0IHRGXBnHrKPlqDPrq59sUjEXaq9ddZlzZ5hagMwvaAb2jJaPxToP6kWQ3pXCjXXOoSmwYDo-9c2xHGix0u_LfyUeedhl_eBrwEWZ4/w400-h216/LiveaboardsSeine.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Seine has many residential barges along its banks.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnl80TSXqoxUwkNn-002eOUGHvqQaRnAe5tEqntLdbxxXHcPiUGOJTHrGubsHVdTTvsNbRwVtBp283RKpLx_RaKdPHxO0x1P-LCl92zdglmEA4WVeLvOIbKiV6Mg40ySzRNl9VqICl6BkDS6mH9tMqSW10MVp-ntU1UrUZzZbDWGOwveljfPOKru8z6bY/s3665/LockWalls1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1979" data-original-width="3665" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnl80TSXqoxUwkNn-002eOUGHvqQaRnAe5tEqntLdbxxXHcPiUGOJTHrGubsHVdTTvsNbRwVtBp283RKpLx_RaKdPHxO0x1P-LCl92zdglmEA4WVeLvOIbKiV6Mg40ySzRNl9VqICl6BkDS6mH9tMqSW10MVp-ntU1UrUZzZbDWGOwveljfPOKru8z6bY/w400-h216/LockWalls1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was one of the odder locks we entered. One side was sloped<br />(to accommodate wide boats) and one side had cylindrical<br />metal supports with gaps between the cylinders. Very strange.<br />The Seine locks are definitely designed for large commercial<br />boats, not for smaller pleasure craft.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The second day of cruising (Wednesday, June 28) brought us to the town of Melun, where we were able to find space on a rather long quay that is used in part by pleasure craft and in part by commercial boats (tour-type boats rather than cargo haulers). Melun is only about 25 miles from Paris, although thanks to the curves in the river we cruised about 40 miles during our first two days. It's definitely a historic area, with origins going back at least to Roman times, but many of the stops on the walking tour talk about what <i>used </i>to exist on a particular site, not what currently remains. Castles, mills, religious buildings, fortifications--either completely gone or only minor vestiges remain.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsZh3FiusXAXbsf01Tqm7pmC1rnm19jWXxX1-nuldBW8g3KWXI9polqM4UUeVwxN_c1hTZ_q53fTfYnOlQcOFNFvBNlktdgXYI5TPhfVxf3l3cWbuadGXN41hHr_z5QkxbZRT-yEwqMpBprJGaXvdUrvPYIB3lrrn_mi44U5ioK7F2KbfylbnqgBFBV0/s3898/ArmofSeineMelun.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3898" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsZh3FiusXAXbsf01Tqm7pmC1rnm19jWXxX1-nuldBW8g3KWXI9polqM4UUeVwxN_c1hTZ_q53fTfYnOlQcOFNFvBNlktdgXYI5TPhfVxf3l3cWbuadGXN41hHr_z5QkxbZRT-yEwqMpBprJGaXvdUrvPYIB3lrrn_mi44U5ioK7F2KbfylbnqgBFBV0/w314-h400/ArmofSeineMelun.jpg" width="314" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melun has some pretty parks on the island and<br />along the different arms of the Seine split by the island.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUT947Yc46r3ri6m-xmJtkoFWvAm_De1UE_YHyLz6y9C-eIEX1wDboCKZjQ5Sxqg1CljY0TLJCT2GdY5TPp_VvX4LBIzUUxUMSdQ6_kpKzF35e8JVArqQPLMJx6P4hNlzwat0CeB2fs2mEmxaWEF3eQdWcuODeOMX2osbxVPSSxurIxTU8W006E33-LCk/s3292/BridgeFlowers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3292" data-original-width="3027" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUT947Yc46r3ri6m-xmJtkoFWvAm_De1UE_YHyLz6y9C-eIEX1wDboCKZjQ5Sxqg1CljY0TLJCT2GdY5TPp_VvX4LBIzUUxUMSdQ6_kpKzF35e8JVArqQPLMJx6P4hNlzwat0CeB2fs2mEmxaWEF3eQdWcuODeOMX2osbxVPSSxurIxTU8W006E33-LCk/s320/BridgeFlowers.jpg" width="294" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No signs were seen that declared Melun a "flower city",<br /> but given the number of blooms on the bridges, they<br />certainly should be able to make the claim.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKMP_Vw5e-ZX38Ua0POixzxwfk-SFk1_snU1BpiJbtR81Cn07nVEtSUY7DgKu_acHurRMqr2gjPbkmEesxUTvdZK6djc_f48t7G9nns6E-XlmL1A4qyckgeshNLOtV6LBuUOwoCPUc_iL7ALYtHsZyKJq58XijivDw0XzM4mAXUQEl7cntlyM3AoAwTk/s4080/MelunAbbeyChurch.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2738" data-original-width="4080" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKMP_Vw5e-ZX38Ua0POixzxwfk-SFk1_snU1BpiJbtR81Cn07nVEtSUY7DgKu_acHurRMqr2gjPbkmEesxUTvdZK6djc_f48t7G9nns6E-XlmL1A4qyckgeshNLOtV6LBuUOwoCPUc_iL7ALYtHsZyKJq58XijivDw0XzM4mAXUQEl7cntlyM3AoAwTk/w400-h269/MelunAbbeyChurch.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The remains of Saint-Sauveur Priory. Established originally in<br />the 10th century, the vestiges here date from the 12th century.<br />Most of what existed in the priory's heyday disappeared<br /> during the French Revolution when it was sold as National<br /> Property and divided into workshops, shops, private homes, etc.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupzB8sA1aCpcRvPLZbx3t-9Iwvby4k8shwQ9tWNSBkLZqII8oqswDGZs_ac3-VIGHxuh9wcnqiRf2cWCOftr9Kq6LA9yCNARZn92LI7Osl53ghBZQghbQiVK2kjRWp6BQ_1gua3ox4KnFc22EuH3ztdQPPM9Fc981UN44Xxgsf9voYCJ42B0e7AauYuU/s4080/MelunDodo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2295" data-original-width="4080" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupzB8sA1aCpcRvPLZbx3t-9Iwvby4k8shwQ9tWNSBkLZqII8oqswDGZs_ac3-VIGHxuh9wcnqiRf2cWCOftr9Kq6LA9yCNARZn92LI7Osl53ghBZQghbQiVK2kjRWp6BQ_1gua3ox4KnFc22EuH3ztdQPPM9Fc981UN44Xxgsf9voYCJ42B0e7AauYuU/w400-h225/MelunDodo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Melun Dodo" is a bit of environmental art, created from<br />recycled materials.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7njbyldc5TudcvRlft87IR8fuQXimZD-jM6FXLK69Yl529Eavw6mqXOn_k1BaZ9ZoftsO_U-9p9aPYJpDoQ3M23kVOR4r_hNGYKSS1YobqvvRnQ78sbyFKSWNhP1RTc0-U5zEwJsY5AwUWysHJFpVCxL5Z9f6D7slDIutQH7Mwa5aTOg89qbYT539zU/s3060/MelunEgliseNotreDame.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2772" data-original-width="3060" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7njbyldc5TudcvRlft87IR8fuQXimZD-jM6FXLK69Yl529Eavw6mqXOn_k1BaZ9ZoftsO_U-9p9aPYJpDoQ3M23kVOR4r_hNGYKSS1YobqvvRnQ78sbyFKSWNhP1RTc0-U5zEwJsY5AwUWysHJFpVCxL5Z9f6D7slDIutQH7Mwa5aTOg89qbYT539zU/w400-h363/MelunEgliseNotreDame.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 12th century Notre-Dame collegiate church. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_h4cDtL5ITO8okeke_ufhghZ9vM_7Tqso699W5i9VW-qMh8iyNeEi4_gG-nWaV5Ffwv3JDbXg_jXhTcA1wNAGo6NTRfTpuCM8RA2zxkBjHO3zjeVqQK6tPSuwNWvWXwn0ayml_faX4PL3flehWU3t2224eUbF487O_6eB0YEHpxWNsYivWjny1tmyRM/s3879/ChurchPrison.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="3879" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_h4cDtL5ITO8okeke_ufhghZ9vM_7Tqso699W5i9VW-qMh8iyNeEi4_gG-nWaV5Ffwv3JDbXg_jXhTcA1wNAGo6NTRfTpuCM8RA2zxkBjHO3zjeVqQK6tPSuwNWvWXwn0ayml_faX4PL3flehWU3t2224eUbF487O_6eB0YEHpxWNsYivWjny1tmyRM/w400-h315/ChurchPrison.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A prison is situated on the eastern end of the island, immediately<br />adjacent to the Notre-Dame church. For nearly 4 decades in the <br />early 19th century the church was enclosed within the prison walls,<br />finally being "freed" in 1850.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>We're in Melun for 2 nights and have had the good fortune to be moored behind a barge that we recognized from our time at the DBA rally in Auxerre in 2017. We've enjoyed socializing with owners Alex and Louise. We also took advantage of better-than-expected weather today to visit a chateau in the vicinity that was an inspiration for the chateau at Versailles. But as it's getting late, the details of that visit will have to wait for another day.</div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-45426446715876020932023-06-22T09:32:00.001-07:002023-12-28T04:11:48.476-08:00Cruise of Dreams<p>We were sufficiently re-energized on Sunday to tackle a couple of the items on our Paris wish list. Our first stop of the day was at the "Church of Conspicuous Consumption", otherwise known as the flagship of the high-end French department store chain Galeries Lafayette. We'd wandered into the store on a previous trip to Paris, but at that time weren't aware that they had a rooftop terrace with views over the city--and I didn't even have to buy a 4000-euro purse to access it.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyoZVKDmr6crZubsVyUDnp-0bes-9xy4Us-cFeyJMM_Q1_tjy7f4KxWkclZTMwh7y7X8p-15KHsosCDlfeyAxEAuD2IZjQ-y9H7K83avSwUxbKPNkxGSUxUnoqGskgJ283ERMvVoWpxy1AjwjHf_FK-2shSEoJySR8f96TFKWaeoiYdFhm_fYYkek7bY/s2624/P1040467.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyoZVKDmr6crZubsVyUDnp-0bes-9xy4Us-cFeyJMM_Q1_tjy7f4KxWkclZTMwh7y7X8p-15KHsosCDlfeyAxEAuD2IZjQ-y9H7K83avSwUxbKPNkxGSUxUnoqGskgJ283ERMvVoWpxy1AjwjHf_FK-2shSEoJySR8f96TFKWaeoiYdFhm_fYYkek7bY/w400-h300/P1040467.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior of the store is pretty amazing--over-the-top Art Nouveau,<br />including an enormous glass and metal cupola at the top.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7ceQlE-JUwbxxwyFKtgOaTxjU4wBUhuzIsoRKg-R07nGBWEk7sCsWEHxmI9WkEtfYiNN3YbqOizLy6xHkInemWKzR3TMmWg4eNg6Tm7DZbL8E3rxjKd1m0_W05UYRsb8alqBaPG-xhQaDgWO5aIpq3P3ibBiCwWZhxurWvZyYAqLWzpAjcidLquKrZM/s2624/P1040473.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7ceQlE-JUwbxxwyFKtgOaTxjU4wBUhuzIsoRKg-R07nGBWEk7sCsWEHxmI9WkEtfYiNN3YbqOizLy6xHkInemWKzR3TMmWg4eNg6Tm7DZbL8E3rxjKd1m0_W05UYRsb8alqBaPG-xhQaDgWO5aIpq3P3ibBiCwWZhxurWvZyYAqLWzpAjcidLquKrZM/w300-h400/P1040473.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four shopping floors of sculpted and decorated magnificence.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XAjQaC_y_JQbBf9Lm-433QcQ8qtaSMHqvD955-XcMxqOVIf6LB3OJXTgN807gpmuqziJyWtlp-_1sZ3KRBGYhPSt6ooT15DDNgwXSY288EEBav0oId5RqN_t-qQLIEWVd_0k3JyZ5Wyzw6Nu_8qYl9GBCLHS7CgYGPHN7-kL_6jgPLIrAXtlG4_Rv2o/s2624/LPSelfieGL.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XAjQaC_y_JQbBf9Lm-433QcQ8qtaSMHqvD955-XcMxqOVIf6LB3OJXTgN807gpmuqziJyWtlp-_1sZ3KRBGYhPSt6ooT15DDNgwXSY288EEBav0oId5RqN_t-qQLIEWVd_0k3JyZ5Wyzw6Nu_8qYl9GBCLHS7CgYGPHN7-kL_6jgPLIrAXtlG4_Rv2o/w400-h300/LPSelfieGL.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Us on the terrace of the Galleries Lafayette, the Palais Garnier<br />(Paris Opera) in the upper left, the Eiffel Tower a small<br />presence in the distance.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItE8qb7kgZgWEsqYWBrbUxz70REGry1QENoQsk2aO3ttbV4ckLtbKIhUoCMUuPHrS2WnA7Z77bD2aJcuTg8dzgIsZjK0A0WdRgBoyUtntDQO4hcLnERNjYqcDavXRu8z88J7J4leHld0yYC9HPt8h3RNrTjZ1ZwfzkT_GDOjl3MWso_CxOKFkMq9gC9w/s2102/SacreCfromGL.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2102" data-original-width="1441" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItE8qb7kgZgWEsqYWBrbUxz70REGry1QENoQsk2aO3ttbV4ckLtbKIhUoCMUuPHrS2WnA7Z77bD2aJcuTg8dzgIsZjK0A0WdRgBoyUtntDQO4hcLnERNjYqcDavXRu8z88J7J4leHld0yYC9HPt8h3RNrTjZ1ZwfzkT_GDOjl3MWso_CxOKFkMq9gC9w/w274-h400/SacreCfromGL.JPG" width="274" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had to peek between a gap in the roof <br />structures to see this view of the Basilique<br />de Sacre Coeur on its hilltop in Montmartre.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />After leaving the terrace we took the metro to the northern Paris suburb of Saint Denis. Having seen the Reims Cathedral, the coronation site of so many kings of France, I thought it only fitting to go full circle and visit the Saint Denis Basilica Cathedral, the burial site of most of the kings and queens of France from the 6th century onwards.<div><br /></div><div>The current building dates from the 12th century, but it contains a crypt area underneath that dates from earlier centuries. It is put forward as a masterpiece of Gothic construction. The basilica cathedral stands on the site of what was a Gallo-Roman cemetery that contained the tomb of the martyred Saint Denis, thought to be the first Bishop of Paris, and around whom a cult developed that made this location a place of pilgrimage. Saint Denis had been decapitated on the hill of Montmartre, and as the story goes, he indicated where he wanted to be buried by carrying his head to the site of the current church.</div><div><br /></div><div>For centuries, kings of France and their families were buried in Saint Denis Basilica Cathedral, with elaborate tombs and recumbent statues to mark the locations. Then came 1793, and the "great desecration" of many of the tombs and bodies of royals within the church. The accounts of what took place are pretty horrific, and in the end, the remains of 46 kings, 32 queens, and 63 other royals were thrown into two mass graves adjacent to the church and covered in quicklime. Some of the stone effigies and tombs were destroyed, but many were saved because of the efforts of an archeologist at the time who claimed that they were works of art that needed to be preserved. Napoleon I reopened the basilica, and when Louis XVIII became king he re-established Saint Denis as a royal necropolis. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXjakzY5XRaqVRXRhrjxjuRTENskTaIiSu7qzjbRbnWvT-T9S-5tVXF4EkyDIV2STuQs3T60XKE8yzS0sEyy7jyg0OjDvMt5TmLNrN_9fG1Ly1Xxjv9l-VFY-oGBNjEBeDYqb_FdT8S_4UdEcQHz6qUvFrYA_Qt8e4hXOd3BZFsnS9QPXKBlhs8fOD7HQ/s2624/StDenisExt.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1658" data-original-width="2624" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXjakzY5XRaqVRXRhrjxjuRTENskTaIiSu7qzjbRbnWvT-T9S-5tVXF4EkyDIV2STuQs3T60XKE8yzS0sEyy7jyg0OjDvMt5TmLNrN_9fG1Ly1Xxjv9l-VFY-oGBNjEBeDYqb_FdT8S_4UdEcQHz6qUvFrYA_Qt8e4hXOd3BZFsnS9QPXKBlhs8fOD7HQ/w400-h253/StDenisExt.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West facade of Saint Denis Basilica Cathedral (right), <br />the City Hall of Saint Denis (left).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBOT_z_Z4smzCjtjyo6t_EQ7BqL1OSrWoCifsJ3t0iTZSbNBfpXuwL2bitOyC7-0GpgrQipHPcOtiD3fMm71dyOGh7D5tBSdAhWzWB4HQAdckPgrLk5M8TA-M92-mdmzJ_cX2v3AZPnXD-diSCQEICuhUNHx70Fb3MnEt9n9rYilyLbTF-RlyRfTy_Rs/s2624/IntTombsLight.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBOT_z_Z4smzCjtjyo6t_EQ7BqL1OSrWoCifsJ3t0iTZSbNBfpXuwL2bitOyC7-0GpgrQipHPcOtiD3fMm71dyOGh7D5tBSdAhWzWB4HQAdckPgrLk5M8TA-M92-mdmzJ_cX2v3AZPnXD-diSCQEICuhUNHx70Fb3MnEt9n9rYilyLbTF-RlyRfTy_Rs/w300-h400/IntTombsLight.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior of the church and some of the recumbent<br />royal funerary monuments.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhc9gF2FOajMvZpXDYnDNkWmtUMEEE1DsinfaJ7xjxOTHU4fD86UemqAebuoGvUxzRav3AAyJ3TDwliCzvq6J1Mc7I2TtNzYwPbthZqG3dOU2sHMgfvapNZfkRdx53aIt4cWWD68Sic2MVMJK1H8H80ZZgiCRDhDR1WpBAKxphwB-kA88YclpB9MEyZ4/s2624/P1040533.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhc9gF2FOajMvZpXDYnDNkWmtUMEEE1DsinfaJ7xjxOTHU4fD86UemqAebuoGvUxzRav3AAyJ3TDwliCzvq6J1Mc7I2TtNzYwPbthZqG3dOU2sHMgfvapNZfkRdx53aIt4cWWD68Sic2MVMJK1H8H80ZZgiCRDhDR1WpBAKxphwB-kA88YclpB9MEyZ4/w400-h300/P1040533.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clovis I (upper), King of the Francs 481-511; Chilebert I (lower), King<br />of Paris 511-558. Neither statue was contemporaneous with the subject<br />it portrayed, but were 12th (Chilebert) and 13th (Clovis) century works.</td></tr></tbody></table> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1p3pBAYII__UtAkNyxDJqFgR4DrG-H7mEejIkdfFo6tQysUDMjL29GwVpxBelOPQWrAcptCYAaLfysNm5bVrqgxScPEBG5A40nzvB-Cow-h8yclZfZoQe7wIKnp9d6ow2A3VYCUhNu4CRz_7wvX_3Hj44TLDKAeOIGRfSfjjitCfZ0vDgzQxEzySIFQ/s2624/LouisXii_AnneBretagne.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1p3pBAYII__UtAkNyxDJqFgR4DrG-H7mEejIkdfFo6tQysUDMjL29GwVpxBelOPQWrAcptCYAaLfysNm5bVrqgxScPEBG5A40nzvB-Cow-h8yclZfZoQe7wIKnp9d6ow2A3VYCUhNu4CRz_7wvX_3Hj44TLDKAeOIGRfSfjjitCfZ0vDgzQxEzySIFQ/w300-h400/LouisXii_AnneBretagne.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tomb of Louis XII and his wife Anne.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMO-4axcXvYzVnF5x7AHk4HUcVJBXgEGi6eDUjcbVVN3p9qhUZwIbEYvvIc_Jiu49c4-80HPE0xOL_yYx7mrk62eTBOYKjscwuTdczIygVy-BR64g4pJIyzwCobGZDYxnsKIyuEPF9ywky4vhIKRhSbuBw3Xb4UeZVb79YQOUURkocK1JkpZZNsncGZJA/s2445/SDTombsInt.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1908" data-original-width="2445" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMO-4axcXvYzVnF5x7AHk4HUcVJBXgEGi6eDUjcbVVN3p9qhUZwIbEYvvIc_Jiu49c4-80HPE0xOL_yYx7mrk62eTBOYKjscwuTdczIygVy-BR64g4pJIyzwCobGZDYxnsKIyuEPF9ywky4vhIKRhSbuBw3Xb4UeZVb79YQOUURkocK1JkpZZNsncGZJA/w400-h313/SDTombsInt.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The effigies and tombs that were saved by archeologist<br />Alexandre Lenoir are back in Saint Denis, mostly in their<br />original locations.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmPUDFQc2YVOSEnI_y-109HhBUrl6NmFO_Rt_NR0L5QBVNkrrqFPJ_8x1bkRPnzY5W--rD6C8NMlvHiUTTDhv17AFJRNDakrxf9n7x5ZHqEdqaX9zUIO-Iqp61mnWQQBA18uIML9mVi37OezY9eFnGySYSrkc2kv8R6aXPcCC1NTv6dnkIy7QGZaFxCA/s2624/BourbonGravesCrypt.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmPUDFQc2YVOSEnI_y-109HhBUrl6NmFO_Rt_NR0L5QBVNkrrqFPJ_8x1bkRPnzY5W--rD6C8NMlvHiUTTDhv17AFJRNDakrxf9n7x5ZHqEdqaX9zUIO-Iqp61mnWQQBA18uIML9mVi37OezY9eFnGySYSrkc2kv8R6aXPcCC1NTv6dnkIy7QGZaFxCA/w400-h300/BourbonGravesCrypt.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bourbon Grave in the crypt of the church, holding<br />the remains of Marie Antoinette (center left) and Louis XVI<br />(center right). The remains had been located in the Madelaine<br />cemetery in Paris after a search ordered by Louis XVIII. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDfycsuzd_XM1svOBgf3plwG71Hh_7Klz2ikyB0qNSloMZPnp8F_zxNcr5I1OAjS5_mUbN06iTXkMNljFtnfgCJdQW5vy9IePfmMeMFHV6VoplASkeeJ2cuz4abJJSNrjyUmX6ChBHhpQ6kdlqNPi-RSX1j_hQIlQvc_VRxjocuiBW6Ac3QM9vkTrdPw/s2624/P1040510.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDfycsuzd_XM1svOBgf3plwG71Hh_7Klz2ikyB0qNSloMZPnp8F_zxNcr5I1OAjS5_mUbN06iTXkMNljFtnfgCJdQW5vy9IePfmMeMFHV6VoplASkeeJ2cuz4abJJSNrjyUmX6ChBHhpQ6kdlqNPi-RSX1j_hQIlQvc_VRxjocuiBW6Ac3QM9vkTrdPw/w300-h400/P1040510.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Markers for the royal ossuary, which contains the bones<br />exhumed from the mass graves created during the "great<br />desecration." The destruction of the remains was too<br />great to allow for subsequent identifications, so the<br />plaques now list the names of those whose remains<br />are contained within the ossuary.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Our friend Mecki arrived on Monday afternoon. She'd been to Paris before, but she said her last time here was probably sometime in the 1980's. So, she and I tried to do things that would give her a good sense of Paris, but without running ourselves ragged.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_MTwk7LJZamc-fMXbxeN8dMLW7GtUWD3hCVwNbLsTRhxzNY4-xm-bkWyp6kPN0fEHPx7W69n6KuxD35M9oKerZ-ZVbaPyC_2NY43f47aJ-ufCL75K2hSGIGuHg6jJe1Ht0EFkChj0rfxC-I4t6h0giNTXBp1CkyDGeisVJJHuT-F5CC4vwj8VG5fxPk/s4000/Marmottan-MonetGallery.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="4000" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_MTwk7LJZamc-fMXbxeN8dMLW7GtUWD3hCVwNbLsTRhxzNY4-xm-bkWyp6kPN0fEHPx7W69n6KuxD35M9oKerZ-ZVbaPyC_2NY43f47aJ-ufCL75K2hSGIGuHg6jJe1Ht0EFkChj0rfxC-I4t6h0giNTXBp1CkyDGeisVJJHuT-F5CC4vwj8VG5fxPk/w640-h288/Marmottan-MonetGallery.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mecki is a fan of Claude Monet, so what better place to go than Musee Marmottan Monet. It has the <br />world's largest collection of Monet paintings, including many of the water lilies at his<br /> home in Giverny that so fascinated him during the last years of his life.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHmCRXs1zdi0sI98MPB1GfBwQu3R4K_9HllNLcY0-jr2Y9npjBX6GmEAb2I9rgMO_w7FkUI-pZ5rQjfHMwBvvg3wpw1ts-4CuxVj1nbt8rO4y4D6n3yvjPv09Qfmlg5aVyNzNgmjzb8ny1VSFx4qq5Xe-QhNuUEjy_B2hYYNh2R-98FBcbljqy_fM6GM/s3219/Mecki_MMM.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3219" data-original-width="1792" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHmCRXs1zdi0sI98MPB1GfBwQu3R4K_9HllNLcY0-jr2Y9npjBX6GmEAb2I9rgMO_w7FkUI-pZ5rQjfHMwBvvg3wpw1ts-4CuxVj1nbt8rO4y4D6n3yvjPv09Qfmlg5aVyNzNgmjzb8ny1VSFx4qq5Xe-QhNuUEjy_B2hYYNh2R-98FBcbljqy_fM6GM/w223-h400/Mecki_MMM.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mecki was not disappointed by the<br />water lilies.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjQWlMtFtJppQZYvsf82OBl4-wMG94jq0yz_E58qSG8x_Mb_wFkaSH3WZhU-FuLjZj0wXMNPaDAMiOl2ycM6XU6eMr8J3T6gmhb4d9ZoJNQ59TswviHkpqpm9-_ulUzInWxO7wQ0aS9Xs9ZaF_qxv_NR9UD1GPnxG9DlHG6jZLH00uIMccJdFQD-ysCE/s640/M-POpera.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjQWlMtFtJppQZYvsf82OBl4-wMG94jq0yz_E58qSG8x_Mb_wFkaSH3WZhU-FuLjZj0wXMNPaDAMiOl2ycM6XU6eMr8J3T6gmhb4d9ZoJNQ59TswviHkpqpm9-_ulUzInWxO7wQ0aS9Xs9ZaF_qxv_NR9UD1GPnxG9DlHG6jZLH00uIMccJdFQD-ysCE/w320-h240/M-POpera.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch followed museum, then a visit to the terrace of<br />the Galleries Lafayette, then a selfie on the steps<br />of the Paris Garnier Opera House after finishing<br />some delicious ice cream cones.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqhTR1JSxBh5NPlb2GS7ZvrlH8bHxGTGmbgEkTevep_svIgKLRCkGhYq2qJMkbJBy5EAjZY08S8ulUbbOjbkPysGVTAq5iTMXl2cmd6t9Ebip_VkCIBt7Izx5EwwnurUlA6RJ42bCQvGpJRD_khs8F8iIIX-Dw2Wxlw8CyVam0v-Z4M64TZTw43y5aJE/s3978/LVPontNeuf.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1391" data-original-width="3978" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZqhTR1JSxBh5NPlb2GS7ZvrlH8bHxGTGmbgEkTevep_svIgKLRCkGhYq2qJMkbJBy5EAjZY08S8ulUbbOjbkPysGVTAq5iTMXl2cmd6t9Ebip_VkCIBt7Izx5EwwnurUlA6RJ42bCQvGpJRD_khs8F8iIIX-Dw2Wxlw8CyVam0v-Z4M64TZTw43y5aJE/w640-h224/LVPontNeuf.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After walking by the Louvre and the Tuilleries Gardens we started walking back<br />toward the Arsenal along the Seine, and ran into this at Pont Neuf. We first thought<br />it was a movie or TV shoot, but it turned out to be the preparations for a Louis Vuitton<br />fashion show to be held that evening to celebrate Pharrell Williams<br />as the new creative director for the menswear line. If we turned around, we saw . . . </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ZH5uAy9MLjQ2dVqDIHDJtwCb0fNwWztcOh-Lk-XCprY6tUXwP1lEixZvy4bG-5nMrs3Ym_6jgiX9sJX9n0pQia24XH4G8s1_mA0F45CpsSPYa7i4CXWJgwVMj6Nkg7-zVDWmp7_NPkCoRI4063BCeggqWDgGxKXlIm9Q6AnFa7z8Y1okThMAH9DfCNc/s2896/LVStore.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2896" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ZH5uAy9MLjQ2dVqDIHDJtwCb0fNwWztcOh-Lk-XCprY6tUXwP1lEixZvy4bG-5nMrs3Ym_6jgiX9sJX9n0pQia24XH4G8s1_mA0F45CpsSPYa7i4CXWJgwVMj6Nkg7-zVDWmp7_NPkCoRI4063BCeggqWDgGxKXlIm9Q6AnFa7z8Y1okThMAH9DfCNc/w400-h249/LVStore.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">. . . this. The Louis Vuitton corporate headquarters is to the<br />right in the photo. The area was teeming with scads of young<br />"men in black" (ushers? models?). The huge figure in the background<br />is that of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. The so-called "princess of<br />polka dots" is a fashion collaborator with Louis Vuitton. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>On Wednesday morning Mecki and I strolled around the nearby Marais district while Lon got the boat ready for a cruise on the Seine. The stroll through the Marais was lovely. As it was a weekday morning, the streets were fairly quiet. We went to the Place de Vosges and then just meandered, encountering some hidden courtyards and gardens, and a remnant of what had been a lively Jewish neighborhood prior to the Holocaust.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzddzPq626s7MJY0KcWdtlkwKMK8LBUfqs6LBLzh4TynaOrZ4bviKhpW1uuE4cIYEHLdFhjOZ4mrqS5NevxT2okBwVYiwe9SYGS39MObXNotI20Mn1kUOivm9yo14MXfxddBSzBxzr0PGPnXbRomfYT0xY2zMgbGcMc29Bw3_wids6gcbmVXuJL1TUJw/s2624/ArchivesCourtyard.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1617" data-original-width="2624" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzddzPq626s7MJY0KcWdtlkwKMK8LBUfqs6LBLzh4TynaOrZ4bviKhpW1uuE4cIYEHLdFhjOZ4mrqS5NevxT2okBwVYiwe9SYGS39MObXNotI20Mn1kUOivm9yo14MXfxddBSzBxzr0PGPnXbRomfYT0xY2zMgbGcMc29Bw3_wids6gcbmVXuJL1TUJw/w400-h246/ArchivesCourtyard.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We went in search of the gardens at the National Archives complex<br />and found that the buildings and courtyard (and the view of <br />the neighboring buildings) were pretty nice.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihPuG9Cge7yHjAQAmsHPajO9E8mN2JwVIK5kQB5wvgEcb5azvbO14mRRNDE3r5H2bUf37kHUl3Lz-nr2xpEGLcR9JaTiD5xdlDJdyd92sgcWNcMIOADynVGwf_HBwJiSffoOwkpxR9SxHtEtrsap6sFiI2ML1FRZ86xG_yl1JWwYBOMqhVI-02bZDEqA/s2624/ArchivesPark.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihPuG9Cge7yHjAQAmsHPajO9E8mN2JwVIK5kQB5wvgEcb5azvbO14mRRNDE3r5H2bUf37kHUl3Lz-nr2xpEGLcR9JaTiD5xdlDJdyd92sgcWNcMIOADynVGwf_HBwJiSffoOwkpxR9SxHtEtrsap6sFiI2ML1FRZ86xG_yl1JWwYBOMqhVI-02bZDEqA/w400-h300/ArchivesPark.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The garden was a little oasis, both for the half dozen or so people<br />in the park and for this duck family.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Wednesday afternoon we finally were able to do the thing that was an absolute must on our Paris bucket list: a cruise on the Seine to the Eiffel Tower and back. We've been on a Seine cruise before, and we've seen the sights along the river, but there was just something special about being able to do it on our own boat. And we think it was a highlight for Mecki as well.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhM21y7QufSgT-_XFzPes_CkpL_m4_tzQxDf8PhWhjMhDPoFZGRzUm1bd7XslO5Q96GpLu1_B8xLa5Ao5ZWTSONZd9kbINv1OLDwwqUvzY_MZFLTvq-_8JOMUEP60Udq0-jjLDwceCwWexY-52Riw5Y352oCuoM_oVn20K5DAUbIJWKGIQOtKIVGwqpA/s1970/WaitingForGreen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1970" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhM21y7QufSgT-_XFzPes_CkpL_m4_tzQxDf8PhWhjMhDPoFZGRzUm1bd7XslO5Q96GpLu1_B8xLa5Ao5ZWTSONZd9kbINv1OLDwwqUvzY_MZFLTvq-_8JOMUEP60Udq0-jjLDwceCwWexY-52Riw5Y352oCuoM_oVn20K5DAUbIJWKGIQOtKIVGwqpA/w400-h400/WaitingForGreen.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When going downstream, we had to take the passage between the<br />Ile-St. Louis and the Ile de la Cite. Passage alternates between<br />upstream and downstream traffic and is controlled by traffic<br />lights. Downstream traffic is allowed to enter between 35 and 50<br />minutes past the hour. Here we are hovering behind three commercial<br /> barges, waiting for the light to change from red to green.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgod4-7viz0wc7rlEoy18wsYUqNSPTFmRyVSHsX_LWlFqRLbbg-WpIBSpoMhkzy9A16RgrxYWrHIGgyMC0b0j0mgsjrWsraEOOU12dBu09G1YLdmRi9Uc2g137bcQnxurIwor0QiTZbo_gvrTNRId4Tnri0euNvdUpGw4Mxry80pzW48Ywb2mubhZUB9Hk/s2617/PassageBetweenIles.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1418" data-original-width="2617" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgod4-7viz0wc7rlEoy18wsYUqNSPTFmRyVSHsX_LWlFqRLbbg-WpIBSpoMhkzy9A16RgrxYWrHIGgyMC0b0j0mgsjrWsraEOOU12dBu09G1YLdmRi9Uc2g137bcQnxurIwor0QiTZbo_gvrTNRId4Tnri0euNvdUpGw4Mxry80pzW48Ywb2mubhZUB9Hk/w400-h216/PassageBetweenIles.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making the turn into the passage, with the Notre Dame de Paris<br />Cathedral under scaffold to our left.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGF6_4vSGhzryQEQ80r4r3Cwt3nvB5zSukEVo7t504xHD4cWM5fYMz5Ly6oKiJcd2lZTSnqtIuq9USJ1qffrTecgR5JHoqvF6nXmKkJECZ22DwtDXz7y5syeumXuWSpPyNdrSu74dfoLP6IsFhJUVNY8HHUez0lhnQZubFnNzTM54fDKnhp92ld1EuPaY/s487/MeckiCruise.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="487" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGF6_4vSGhzryQEQ80r4r3Cwt3nvB5zSukEVo7t504xHD4cWM5fYMz5Ly6oKiJcd2lZTSnqtIuq9USJ1qffrTecgR5JHoqvF6nXmKkJECZ22DwtDXz7y5syeumXuWSpPyNdrSu74dfoLP6IsFhJUVNY8HHUez0lhnQZubFnNzTM54fDKnhp92ld1EuPaY/s320/MeckiCruise.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mecki enjoys the cruise. Pont Alexandre III <br />approaches and the Eiffel Tower becomes visible<br />in the distance.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcD7s-Sc8y2iRviVDrfwwmuezTXeqhqCEgPO3Gsnh6fNqHaU3Yfnhs82yrC06w5n4iwicnfMnA-oixilhS6HZpzHny7PhMnSbIvHg-SfkHtirOr47YkEK0JoyFcXY51kFASKe5YCvcq0pFR-GAUg1Jbdwei8rFQR6vGE5RdY2pg2jji8BMgv0AKPImaQI/s2624/PassedatPontAlexandreIII.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1498" data-original-width="2624" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcD7s-Sc8y2iRviVDrfwwmuezTXeqhqCEgPO3Gsnh6fNqHaU3Yfnhs82yrC06w5n4iwicnfMnA-oixilhS6HZpzHny7PhMnSbIvHg-SfkHtirOr47YkEK0JoyFcXY51kFASKe5YCvcq0pFR-GAUg1Jbdwei8rFQR6vGE5RdY2pg2jji8BMgv0AKPImaQI/w400-h229/PassedatPontAlexandreIII.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon was doing most of the driving and had to keep his "head<br />on a swivel" to keep track of all the boat traffic, mostly tour boats.<br />We stayed to the right while a faster tour boat passed us at<br />the Pont Alexandre III bridge.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikVIhBuqOvoZ3Ymu-xBxCek668RdlwQYAWfMbEAvoIZYfAf5ZU2qK3DCqzhCDRqpI-ZbTRAYbKU08C7D4uMV2uzEGnkYma0NX6MC_8t72m681UxOAZe4UUiDda_piKxtnrlMPGcUJCes-1FKTsBLsAGyQLpui3tnquyoi9h5j9O9iJ6NrNlgyrw1Aeds/s640/PatSeineC.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="463" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikVIhBuqOvoZ3Ymu-xBxCek668RdlwQYAWfMbEAvoIZYfAf5ZU2qK3DCqzhCDRqpI-ZbTRAYbKU08C7D4uMV2uzEGnkYma0NX6MC_8t72m681UxOAZe4UUiDda_piKxtnrlMPGcUJCes-1FKTsBLsAGyQLpui3tnquyoi9h5j9O9iJ6NrNlgyrw1Aeds/w290-h400/PatSeineC.jpg" width="290" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a fantastic day for a cruise.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxDpvNVnTJ-FuNcWd0dMXcGwxvtMMQNGeeuVE6bnk-iC_BFkjIA2T3DHAPB5Fk2D7FW97smkBQ8aAbVjFnKgbbtg7XXXFlHqUpRvK_zLRL_PTMRumpYNGrcur6nt2hA8y6mhQ0dCju7nBnsys7r70JXA5fDMdy7pznvPSiw-i6TGpfPCI_QKogqFhmGs/s3694/LPEIFT.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3694" data-original-width="2720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxDpvNVnTJ-FuNcWd0dMXcGwxvtMMQNGeeuVE6bnk-iC_BFkjIA2T3DHAPB5Fk2D7FW97smkBQ8aAbVjFnKgbbtg7XXXFlHqUpRvK_zLRL_PTMRumpYNGrcur6nt2hA8y6mhQ0dCju7nBnsys7r70JXA5fDMdy7pznvPSiw-i6TGpfPCI_QKogqFhmGs/w295-h400/LPEIFT.jpeg" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was exciting to approach the famous landmark.<br />(Thanks for the photo, Mecki!)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjow_yDZc3w2tEJs48-bVsqacDKRaZoJffSgQaIOAX3jUfcO3_b3mTY7k8AaSRb-quUEtF3jtuFG4JwIiPhZ2gaaBSWcaR9jO8sodS5Dy2rFgL-1kOAtBV0TVTLEyeO4CA52FAPBDFH6yl-SsW5gGTEYvEp2ye2xuLKbTYVAuufdLcMxFk1-Q5Snv2UIqk/s2624/MeckiEiffel.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjow_yDZc3w2tEJs48-bVsqacDKRaZoJffSgQaIOAX3jUfcO3_b3mTY7k8AaSRb-quUEtF3jtuFG4JwIiPhZ2gaaBSWcaR9jO8sodS5Dy2rFgL-1kOAtBV0TVTLEyeO4CA52FAPBDFH6yl-SsW5gGTEYvEp2ye2xuLKbTYVAuufdLcMxFk1-Q5Snv2UIqk/w400-h300/MeckiEiffel.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mecki on CARIB III as we make our downstream<br />pass of the Eiffel Tower.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWqGinHTeCZh-Ap_sBorou-R0la1molvJzH0djPs3teHHO3HZU6pM8jGoPksjQrYU4g_jn6O9bABHDSYSXrXcUacpYmCeEZ5BkS3dVMIIp84FyajWTleKyx9nSx6uYOJvSnYQ16PwgCyuftqyWNB8787XyPngbvjhsF5TeYSs7muLzHLPdIPUI1gQL6M/s2453/MakingtheTurn.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1564" data-original-width="2453" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWqGinHTeCZh-Ap_sBorou-R0la1molvJzH0djPs3teHHO3HZU6pM8jGoPksjQrYU4g_jn6O9bABHDSYSXrXcUacpYmCeEZ5BkS3dVMIIp84FyajWTleKyx9nSx6uYOJvSnYQ16PwgCyuftqyWNB8787XyPngbvjhsF5TeYSs7muLzHLPdIPUI1gQL6M/w400-h255/MakingtheTurn.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The spot where we could legally turn around--just past the tip<br />of the island bearing the replica of the Statue of Liberty.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1YsJXsO5mQmWsyF90UQPxLJ5byVlWwXCVYCE6W_qFzFmYR3TroIB9nruTiHjsxaGY1p-oU-aG2p7Mb6kdhoNrRSP8OTlIHHnz79ngZxXKgasaEDUhsX3OWrajc2JXEXbDB16s4YJlrexJmmVyK_-Phf3EAaqjPEkO5_pDKB82N1aFZFLrZN7jPrY0H8/s2624/CloseCarousel.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1YsJXsO5mQmWsyF90UQPxLJ5byVlWwXCVYCE6W_qFzFmYR3TroIB9nruTiHjsxaGY1p-oU-aG2p7Mb6kdhoNrRSP8OTlIHHnz79ngZxXKgasaEDUhsX3OWrajc2JXEXbDB16s4YJlrexJmmVyK_-Phf3EAaqjPEkO5_pDKB82N1aFZFLrZN7jPrY0H8/w400-h300/CloseCarousel.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tower is very big when you're this close. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQa3OzlBCY6epKxOKNKtV2YS6zl1L8rzyocVrt2-OPVoOfAZ6l8Uc24FAxxR19MVjsu1gDuzW5a_9lF95K3_oU1J0gpMFDUuT7d9kQNeGxy4mSmehRvJDTNVxoGlAnkl4etTYbmMO6mGDK1cGh-ElH0SpMmoopaVxNgQjSkc0D1rBdou7EXe8UreXXkM8/s2624/BevyofBridges.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="2624" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQa3OzlBCY6epKxOKNKtV2YS6zl1L8rzyocVrt2-OPVoOfAZ6l8Uc24FAxxR19MVjsu1gDuzW5a_9lF95K3_oU1J0gpMFDUuT7d9kQNeGxy4mSmehRvJDTNVxoGlAnkl4etTYbmMO6mGDK1cGh-ElH0SpMmoopaVxNgQjSkc0D1rBdou7EXe8UreXXkM8/w640-h269/BevyofBridges.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Seine has a "bevy of bridges."</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8RPtyyZA920xQ8JhJr5g4-Woj_3NKwHMvt9mLq6uji4TglYiLrqiQAPvZz5ZzLHpH3tEAE5ANo0K1AtUjUneayPw0yL0UhHZ3KhySM3p6l5dvWOaNVtR6A_vXjyt1qIcgIMVLMwlos5OIYNeEexp4Ylr8RKxgTLeLaNwND3nhZ3RlwbTVKSH9aHpHwNU/s492/PatLockArsenal.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8RPtyyZA920xQ8JhJr5g4-Woj_3NKwHMvt9mLq6uji4TglYiLrqiQAPvZz5ZzLHpH3tEAE5ANo0K1AtUjUneayPw0yL0UhHZ3KhySM3p6l5dvWOaNVtR6A_vXjyt1qIcgIMVLMwlos5OIYNeEexp4Ylr8RKxgTLeLaNwND3nhZ3RlwbTVKSH9aHpHwNU/s320/PatLockArsenal.jpg" width="312" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The end of a great afternoon--and a somewhat delayed <br />entry (due to commercial traffic) back into the Arsenal<br />lock.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We had an uneventful dockage (the best kind!) into the slip and then it was time to wind down from the adrenalin rush and relax. Because it was the first day of summer it was Fete de la Musique day in Paris and elsewhere in France. Not only were there numerous musical acts playing in public squares throughout the city, many restaurants had bands or DJs on site. Mecki took us out to dinner and then we sat on the back of CARIB, listing to a cacophony of competing musical sounds from the Place de la Bastille and neighborhood restaurants. The Place de Bastille, the surrounding restaurants, and the quay in the port were packed with people. Thank goodness for windows that could muffle the sound and make it possible to sleep.<div><br /></div><div>Mecki left us this morning and, because it is a rather wet day, we cancelled plans for a day trip to Beauvais and are staying around the boat. We're quickly approaching the end of our time in Paris, so we need to pin down what we hope to do in our final few days here and think about our upcoming cruise to Auxerre.<br /><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-30667780934928320302023-06-18T14:50:00.001-07:002024-01-03T06:08:37.334-08:00Live and Learn<p>During a visit to Paris in 2017 we strolled through parts of the Montmartre neighborhood, the "village" on the hill in Paris' 18th arrondissement famous for the artists that used to frequent it in the late 1800's and early 1900's (Picasso, Renoir, Van Gogh, etc, etc.), the French can-can at cabarets like the Moulin Rouge, and the Sacre-Coeur church. We thought it was worth revisiting, and having had some success in the past with guided walking tours, we decided to go that route and see if we could learn some new things. We booked with one of the "free" tour companies (well, "free" only if you don't give your guide a gratuity when the tour is done) that stated in their website that they capped bookings at 6 per tour. The small group aspect sounded good to us, so you can imagine our disappointment on Tuesday morning when we showed up at the appointed meeting place and people kept coming, and coming, and coming. Apparently, they weren't as restrictive with the numbers as they had led us to believe. As it turned out, there were multiple walking tour companies with groups meeting at that same location at the same time, so we switched to a group that had less than the 20+ attendees of our original group. </p><p>Our guide was congenial and amusing, but after all was said and done, we wished we'd just pulled up a walking tour itinerary on-line and done our own thing. So many of the walking tour groups kept bumping into each other at the same points of interest that we started feeling a bit hemmed in. Live and learn. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5m2-jW-TS0JVChYHSl2DLbphf5ni4U5vQfkvAMZP7acD4dp5531k7la5HaqkPiLICPzHXErYdunn7oK3Gxj1FBUvDw5WOY0o2GnvB7dCRI1gIILilw18PV9UaX_4_G_HeOdfdsBD2EAi5-Ul9aXExTnH888Y5LaRo370yYbhmJbs61B38mddHIteJ/s2411/ILoveYouMM.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1719" data-original-width="2411" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5m2-jW-TS0JVChYHSl2DLbphf5ni4U5vQfkvAMZP7acD4dp5531k7la5HaqkPiLICPzHXErYdunn7oK3Gxj1FBUvDw5WOY0o2GnvB7dCRI1gIILilw18PV9UaX_4_G_HeOdfdsBD2EAi5-Ul9aXExTnH888Y5LaRo370yYbhmJbs61B38mddHIteJ/w400-h285/ILoveYouMM.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wall of Je T'aime (the I Love You wall), created in 2000. "I love you" is written<br />311 times in 250 languages. It was a filming location for the Netflix series<br /> "Emily in Paris", which probably accounts for some of the crowd at the site.<br /> (Lon and I tried watching the show, but found it cringeworthy and<br /> couldn't even get through the first episode. Oh, well, what do we know?)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6GA3sVB4JcooBEIU0UO-eMQ9UsAOdv2kQ4ks4ANOnFmUND-glPt2yspxnd1nLo9Thxrwk14Iwf1uq3Ndd4564eosug-zR2eChAN10hRUJbuz-JEw2a4zZJsE-iBJEIMhVUvkyTJPMs88o3Ne1Pr6Y2uq2Leyo8r3-0DyjuPGjg68d06jrwbacr5z/s2269/LemmingsofMontmartre.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2269" data-original-width="1793" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6GA3sVB4JcooBEIU0UO-eMQ9UsAOdv2kQ4ks4ANOnFmUND-glPt2yspxnd1nLo9Thxrwk14Iwf1uq3Ndd4564eosug-zR2eChAN10hRUJbuz-JEw2a4zZJsE-iBJEIMhVUvkyTJPMs88o3Ne1Pr6Y2uq2Leyo8r3-0DyjuPGjg68d06jrwbacr5z/w316-h400/LemmingsofMontmartre.JPG" width="316" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lemmings of Montmartre.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CXV8kBtSDdtiUhEGpInXenkXUnV2KvBU8HN0VAlnGze24UJayEUoGCeRExikNRoI4VPN9pmrrzGVzadJNBg98g95Mi5X7AtB7DvCOB1ns9K-6RssgtdYtjPn41geZ_FlZ5o-o62aG1WKh8oJQEAUjluhhBqg5UG4-FKEPVD1BnZtSWdauRtUfqi4/s2624/MoulinMM.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1825" data-original-width="2624" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CXV8kBtSDdtiUhEGpInXenkXUnV2KvBU8HN0VAlnGze24UJayEUoGCeRExikNRoI4VPN9pmrrzGVzadJNBg98g95Mi5X7AtB7DvCOB1ns9K-6RssgtdYtjPn41geZ_FlZ5o-o62aG1WKh8oJQEAUjluhhBqg5UG4-FKEPVD1BnZtSWdauRtUfqi4/w400-h279/MoulinMM.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of the thirty or so windmills that used to be on Montmartre, this<br />windmill and another that comprise the "Moulin de la Galette" are<br />the sole remaining windmills (not counting the red windmill<br />atop the Moulin Rouge).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Zs-q-XKOFIesTfNEhTG5q5ixQ6FAzjhtUq7cKVV9Gf7jZMB7cvytJLBEjuWC080LiQszJ5u6UTB_a_DjQunuPFBQvVAtR_5URHFmJBveJ8XbYLk1yCWyBHV76DufkK9EOYgaMrWianGswa8rAxJZYi1jDmQUpsgSePN67txKLa8IjrN7m1jX4yel/s1433/MoulinRouge.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="1433" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Zs-q-XKOFIesTfNEhTG5q5ixQ6FAzjhtUq7cKVV9Gf7jZMB7cvytJLBEjuWC080LiQszJ5u6UTB_a_DjQunuPFBQvVAtR_5URHFmJBveJ8XbYLk1yCWyBHV76DufkK9EOYgaMrWianGswa8rAxJZYi1jDmQUpsgSePN67txKLa8IjrN7m1jX4yel/w400-h358/MoulinRouge.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You, too, can view the can-can if you are willing to shell out<br />100+ euro per ticket.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aP8z7WLKvlSAqUtAvr6_n6gnNw4P7OoNiQUH0-ZrtM2xC4F00lEKxfzsB9h3Uco9QVYvHfEbJvxxyeyLrBMppQkBxg1OP1HZ689lso56rC57zl8eCULAfFyAh6-XMpxPwJkTacj-vpsnPrn1g_CpmQCLdRuuWIQSZKxGu67nLqUpJhtG7W5Qu4uT/s2252/SacreCoeur.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="1483" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aP8z7WLKvlSAqUtAvr6_n6gnNw4P7OoNiQUH0-ZrtM2xC4F00lEKxfzsB9h3Uco9QVYvHfEbJvxxyeyLrBMppQkBxg1OP1HZ689lso56rC57zl8eCULAfFyAh6-XMpxPwJkTacj-vpsnPrn1g_CpmQCLdRuuWIQSZKxGu67nLqUpJhtG7W5Qu4uT/w264-h400/SacreCoeur.JPG" width="264" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's no escaping the crowds at Sacre Coeur.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4SLUpBHWmMrpY8sI6t9km-3nxrzccHe75-BIJ65gOb4ij32rkb0R_ypbSWjW7wXR6aSQ3ycbI9JT2kN5P5opwNTBKuFkj0Il_eEgmgYaZBfSgGKlJFK6hCV_eQDOSnqe_FpM3FqBpL__wnosYjskkCQsqKxpNU7N3VJcQqPx-PLWCBBpj-0HCRDO/s2624/ViewFrSacreCoeur.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1559" data-original-width="2624" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4SLUpBHWmMrpY8sI6t9km-3nxrzccHe75-BIJ65gOb4ij32rkb0R_ypbSWjW7wXR6aSQ3ycbI9JT2kN5P5opwNTBKuFkj0Il_eEgmgYaZBfSgGKlJFK6hCV_eQDOSnqe_FpM3FqBpL__wnosYjskkCQsqKxpNU7N3VJcQqPx-PLWCBBpj-0HCRDO/w400-h238/ViewFrSacreCoeur.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing the Paris view with hundreds of our closest friends. <br />Apparently this was a "light" day, as the line to enter the <br />Basilica of the Sacred Heart wasn't all that long. Still, we decided<br />against the climb to the top of the dome--just getting up the hill<br />was enough climbing for one day.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Tuesday night was rest-and-recover time, and Wednesday was mostly a day for Lon to address some of the paint touch-ups needed on the exterior of the boat, and for me to wash clothes and modify a new shower curtain. But all work and no play is never a good idea, so we rewarded ourselves with an early evening movie (the latest "Guardians of the Galaxy") at the 27-screen multiplex in the Forum des Halles underground mall in the center of Paris. We're always thrilled to find films in English, and we usually find ourselves in a mostly empty theater. Not this time. The theater was relatively small--probably less than 100 seats--but every seat was filled. <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMhiAG-g1Jh0zHGW8gWaSWJw-ZZYeekDDfY3YHgStN65Dbrqw3zwNIq5l0kjA8QB12PD-h5oaFsasOZv3vlWF392fwLFPBMM_Tqqzb4OozlETtNBIZAAsnyKEy99Cyu1nnj8hHG7cv5Kw66B1INdxVCrpLo31BeNHJa1QuceCaaYiYMZxkyuuYSX1A/s3662/Louvre-Rivoli.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3662" data-original-width="2931" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMhiAG-g1Jh0zHGW8gWaSWJw-ZZYeekDDfY3YHgStN65Dbrqw3zwNIq5l0kjA8QB12PD-h5oaFsasOZv3vlWF392fwLFPBMM_Tqqzb4OozlETtNBIZAAsnyKEy99Cyu1nnj8hHG7cv5Kw66B1INdxVCrpLo31BeNHJa1QuceCaaYiYMZxkyuuYSX1A/w320-h400/Louvre-Rivoli.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Louvre-Rivoli metro station, where we got off to go to<br /> the movie, has to be the most beautiful in Paris. The subdued<br /> lighting and colors, and replicas of art found in the Louvre, are a stark<br /> contrast to the usual white subway tile and dirty floors.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4w5eVRkHvMZlz_HdW1NrXlBUrtNZs8TJD7JGoiAlsZ1L80B0bnApqiVCXUILcCYe5UEnAhmIUoFb5TL_lsD6m9hovwUYUUaN8oD4t5_gsRmOtRY_vBZ2XqmzvCfRxGqHvpuFcuBjX-72tATSlRwdxpPE09H0-l0-qYdHgRcoFFzfwRwJP2sraN33m/s3793/EveningSeine.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2931" data-original-width="3793" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4w5eVRkHvMZlz_HdW1NrXlBUrtNZs8TJD7JGoiAlsZ1L80B0bnApqiVCXUILcCYe5UEnAhmIUoFb5TL_lsD6m9hovwUYUUaN8oD4t5_gsRmOtRY_vBZ2XqmzvCfRxGqHvpuFcuBjX-72tATSlRwdxpPE09H0-l0-qYdHgRcoFFzfwRwJP2sraN33m/w400-h309/EveningSeine.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the movie we walked to the Seine to catch twilight. As usual,<br />the walls by the river were full of people enjoying the evening. We'd<br /> hoped to see the evening light show at the Eiffel Tower, but it was<br /> still too bright at 10 p.m., and we weren't willing to stay out until 11 p.m.<br /> to catch the next opportunity.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Thursday unexpectedly turned into a work day as well, but we found time before dinner for a walk on a portion of the Coulee Verte Rene-Dumont, a 4.7-kilometer elevated park built on top of an old railway line. It runs from just east of the Place de la Bastille out to the wooded area of the Bois de Vincennes. Completed in the early 90's, it apparently provided the inspiration for New York City's "High Line" park. It's a beautiful place, seemingly unknown to tourists and probably many Parisiens aside from those in the neighborhood.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9em0SqMQmwZJddTSIk0hPQUFa6DKjXdTvRwqT_joIYdT3AvTS_09_6s953735I5Ja6m5MLcXwVirNwLfF-G7hPrtVDvRTiueVTfASsesnkoybJopQgM-F4YNK436Vr9AWTWQ1fn-9-r2zv_Rs_OpDjn2BMImvmz4lqaPa36GF5CRBx86iipGsoks5/s3200/CouleeVerte.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3200" data-original-width="2372" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9em0SqMQmwZJddTSIk0hPQUFa6DKjXdTvRwqT_joIYdT3AvTS_09_6s953735I5Ja6m5MLcXwVirNwLfF-G7hPrtVDvRTiueVTfASsesnkoybJopQgM-F4YNK436Vr9AWTWQ1fn-9-r2zv_Rs_OpDjn2BMImvmz4lqaPa36GF5CRBx86iipGsoks5/w296-h400/CouleeVerte.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some areas had sun and flowers, others were<br />more lushly green and shady. It was awesome to<br />get above the traffic.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknGsH8DRgdDRbx4JHXICPgWM0RITKzsDqViwHbsWpgwK7e1GlkY6QD1N6bSBmV_fca8VuRdS0lnvPrt57XWUN2rla-LYx6bkCWOf1lxt8s8xhl4noe5WaZY_ec45WEs6zLckTCO5rDAp1N8O-GUHnJwob2x7KpeiEDixv7xuocWlJKaBTtDIEVO6B/s4080/CouleeVerteApart.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknGsH8DRgdDRbx4JHXICPgWM0RITKzsDqViwHbsWpgwK7e1GlkY6QD1N6bSBmV_fca8VuRdS0lnvPrt57XWUN2rla-LYx6bkCWOf1lxt8s8xhl4noe5WaZY_ec45WEs6zLckTCO5rDAp1N8O-GUHnJwob2x7KpeiEDixv7xuocWlJKaBTtDIEVO6B/w300-h400/CouleeVerteApart.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We loved this apartment building adjacent to the <br />elevated park. The pattern of the brick and the <br />windows was stunning.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />On Friday morning we went back to another site we'd found on a previous visit to Paris, the Palais Royal. Former residence of Cardinal Richelieu, we'd walked by it last September and vowed to return when we had more time. We'd seen the interesting black and white columns in the courtyard and thought there would be some of the interior of the building to explore, but as it turned out, the courtyard and the gardens were the only things open to the public. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmY3NPK9UAGf71jvmCZ50ddA7xp894rYnZdUP8U0yMuNsiiaIBJpVRr2dN6wRnB5zod65JZ_c25qj8hm0FCWw0WprcIOv4gUXFUN4r-L2UI7xYdAKy_OtKF5qkEb8TLgg2MJbVDmlrA7KWYT1UhpoU0fAG7jjyt7zszuIYftABxjnwmzrZxKiLcza/s2624/PalaisRoyale.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmY3NPK9UAGf71jvmCZ50ddA7xp894rYnZdUP8U0yMuNsiiaIBJpVRr2dN6wRnB5zod65JZ_c25qj8hm0FCWw0WprcIOv4gUXFUN4r-L2UI7xYdAKy_OtKF5qkEb8TLgg2MJbVDmlrA7KWYT1UhpoU0fAG7jjyt7zszuIYftABxjnwmzrZxKiLcza/w400-h300/PalaisRoyale.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The courtyard and the columns are still striking, and there was a lot<br />of photographic posing going on.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPUVB6Sy2wkbDEyviVf8Ez_jR7DJb2d5bX5mDa-gwXeeZsU2e0OoWOnMn0Vbog9V0xFOKh70BffpH9tzq0R9_TTCvBaat2GrveGUowL3n3tR-0T9xHzCVrnv84D35hdOLI2crSVzMYZWpKufsq17MSl9y9y206i6dmsAX1Eioh60ps9kSXlhc_iBC/s2624/PalaisRoyalGarden.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPUVB6Sy2wkbDEyviVf8Ez_jR7DJb2d5bX5mDa-gwXeeZsU2e0OoWOnMn0Vbog9V0xFOKh70BffpH9tzq0R9_TTCvBaat2GrveGUowL3n3tR-0T9xHzCVrnv84D35hdOLI2crSVzMYZWpKufsq17MSl9y9y206i6dmsAX1Eioh60ps9kSXlhc_iBC/w400-h300/PalaisRoyalGarden.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Palace from the end of the garden.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesbCsu5Oo2k_XRxkEkadUYFaPoDvT_F50-PB-Uv21Uo-LSFfE4_5Un-deisI7vkSN_bc1LpZBr4GF6itslFuOZkIkyFX4TrkxJkPKeZO8kDjBG3OjDQvzI3XMPXbJeoXlulJfJXneXYurJukRWQ6NvylWPgYqai53PWX_jL9FyggkaZPv9JF4cSNK/s1722/shoe.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="1722" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesbCsu5Oo2k_XRxkEkadUYFaPoDvT_F50-PB-Uv21Uo-LSFfE4_5Un-deisI7vkSN_bc1LpZBr4GF6itslFuOZkIkyFX4TrkxJkPKeZO8kDjBG3OjDQvzI3XMPXbJeoXlulJfJXneXYurJukRWQ6NvylWPgYqai53PWX_jL9FyggkaZPv9JF4cSNK/w400-h285/shoe.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We could have gone inside the building had we felt like shopping,<br />as there were a number of stores off the arcade that overlooked the <br />courtyard. However, I decided that I did not need a 795-euro pair<br />of ankle busters.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />And then we just walked to see what we could see between the Palais Royal and the Arsenal.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_yCf4U4nPZF8Iw2QP5HX_roEYW3V6AxgwmLfZZgflGmWIbqI3alc9030mQ8QUW8UpPIntbkgQM-h2xaMWG_SbALlP3xv5ZDJ6N29QYvz8Kd0TzV9U7AZUJQz9L4dFVG2u7FgAjdCZXbl7d9Ls70_Aj6h4dhR7fonVh-WMlRlmflyNlKwM2PnvJrW/s2496/Florida.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1734" data-original-width="2496" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_yCf4U4nPZF8Iw2QP5HX_roEYW3V6AxgwmLfZZgflGmWIbqI3alc9030mQ8QUW8UpPIntbkgQM-h2xaMWG_SbALlP3xv5ZDJ6N29QYvz8Kd0TzV9U7AZUJQz9L4dFVG2u7FgAjdCZXbl7d9Ls70_Aj6h4dhR7fonVh-WMlRlmflyNlKwM2PnvJrW/w400-h278/Florida.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We came across Florida in Paris . . . but no palm trees.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvX9w_dlGMLIfVbXAm9vLSNMs5zOWrWQs5gEIsSDpZS_-SBwPzZ6-rmMNLVwXsNywAFKqDmQtMf4mZr4ic0Hj2lZi8lV8zN2PvH34TbTg7B06ly6kAEoK0FJThSXF0RkhBd6a4CH2zu9FUsC7SSgetqdNXRGwxVStQcfv0ud_YfS6zhOY6fxi0P9A/s2624/GalerieVivienne.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvX9w_dlGMLIfVbXAm9vLSNMs5zOWrWQs5gEIsSDpZS_-SBwPzZ6-rmMNLVwXsNywAFKqDmQtMf4mZr4ic0Hj2lZi8lV8zN2PvH34TbTg7B06ly6kAEoK0FJThSXF0RkhBd6a4CH2zu9FUsC7SSgetqdNXRGwxVStQcfv0ud_YfS6zhOY6fxi0P9A/w300-h400/GalerieVivienne.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Galerie Vivienne, a covered passageway built in 1823.<br />It now houses a number of luxury shops.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidN7ozOIGWjQ-G9Q0EVU3d0dufGCImV5pY2Sn6PoTpVJUutFuV_6RuPT-nNJMLjrT3C8INde9alGDdqBzlZ79TGHtR5ZiqQ_4h5Aaxbgq8bm4DF8xg9F9L9yjQefd6qbewBKMzyx57v2qmf54gYUfhVhyQLb9PxysfOobpeYaZLKwcKZ5dY6dhuULK/s2024/NotreDamedesVictoires.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2024" data-original-width="1691" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidN7ozOIGWjQ-G9Q0EVU3d0dufGCImV5pY2Sn6PoTpVJUutFuV_6RuPT-nNJMLjrT3C8INde9alGDdqBzlZ79TGHtR5ZiqQ_4h5Aaxbgq8bm4DF8xg9F9L9yjQefd6qbewBKMzyx57v2qmf54gYUfhVhyQLb9PxysfOobpeYaZLKwcKZ5dY6dhuULK/w334-h400/NotreDamedesVictoires.JPG" width="334" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Victoires, constructed<br />by Louis XIII in thanks to the Virgin Mary for his <br />military victories. Originally an abbey church, after the<br />Revolution it was the seat of the stock exchange, and then<br />became a church again after Napoleon came to power.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwuYP93fQz_pQjMniK4bBd8RqQ2V7H3uWJj3XX9Fndk_jxGmYx2bDFewJUxolBVDXSKKMqe8ZmVoA0V50mm_RPuRBNuPWZw4JKuI_WqJOCEHMNgins0iNZnQHUWB110AKB5r54zPfzmH2KpOR_jyaS1dkKO31a-SRATL7u8a5cyXrIesf5S-IsXjj/s2395/BNDVPlaques.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2395" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwuYP93fQz_pQjMniK4bBd8RqQ2V7H3uWJj3XX9Fndk_jxGmYx2bDFewJUxolBVDXSKKMqe8ZmVoA0V50mm_RPuRBNuPWZw4JKuI_WqJOCEHMNgins0iNZnQHUWB110AKB5r54zPfzmH2KpOR_jyaS1dkKO31a-SRATL7u8a5cyXrIesf5S-IsXjj/w329-h400/BNDVPlaques.JPG" width="329" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior of the church has an astounding 37,000+<br />marble plaques expressing thanks. They cover<br />numerous walls and pillars.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>An amazing church in the vicinity of the Forum shopping center where we'd seen our Wednesday movie was Saint-Eustache. Construction of the present church began in 1532 and continued for about 100 years. It struck us as very cathedral-like in size, but for all of that it is simply a parish church. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OMvxAfK1HM-u2DeSKDz68MeYH_oVbMSTxnPcD6UsBxotI3Y5NJjNeRGTyVEXMC_KOhl-Z2p3qiqN2uOEsAwZZeIO5NDWePD4O0jOh1wHNofwt4HRFaQr5prWbNTdvAG5HxfajlU2djhTyf6dGsLBZPIm6DVeCVPyVmRRCv9ANLwtgswAzPPicCDo/s2624/StEustache.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OMvxAfK1HM-u2DeSKDz68MeYH_oVbMSTxnPcD6UsBxotI3Y5NJjNeRGTyVEXMC_KOhl-Z2p3qiqN2uOEsAwZZeIO5NDWePD4O0jOh1wHNofwt4HRFaQr5prWbNTdvAG5HxfajlU2djhTyf6dGsLBZPIm6DVeCVPyVmRRCv9ANLwtgswAzPPicCDo/w300-h400/StEustache.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon in the interior of Saint-Eustache provides some <br />sense of the size of the church. A large-scale restoration<br /> project of the paint on the side chapels is ongoing.<br />This side was complete and the colors were stunning.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSyZxAmH70jN5yck865Rg99oDG7i7uajV6GgAZoHixKrUTFltw9Z7d-65P5KmMUTWBQTYFQi6Bs65MGTFVVdOKTBCf0QnE_n8h5b2aRLT2qA_qFuZbbTHDZaEjW8acIYerjvlYIwFoyhkX_6a7kzkoNXO07LivZy0V1OmweDEQlsxqdD5lQjTsh_z/s2624/StEustacheExt.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSyZxAmH70jN5yck865Rg99oDG7i7uajV6GgAZoHixKrUTFltw9Z7d-65P5KmMUTWBQTYFQi6Bs65MGTFVVdOKTBCf0QnE_n8h5b2aRLT2qA_qFuZbbTHDZaEjW8acIYerjvlYIwFoyhkX_6a7kzkoNXO07LivZy0V1OmweDEQlsxqdD5lQjTsh_z/w400-h300/StEustacheExt.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One exterior facade.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN3julWBudil61MbPirzDJJH45lN47_tHxoTzNnPM4E7bsHPv0Zs8foZQuM7jfdxSGRzfbHR8YPaaGPBwA8xSspwhaqOW3Rot6al2E90gyfCzwVgvAK6VuQSMGs590ZdipN6u2ccjeGYl5oyGniCtgGahn2DWiATptvPo__XUTploa3sVG8j5EQwv/s2624/StEustacheOld.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN3julWBudil61MbPirzDJJH45lN47_tHxoTzNnPM4E7bsHPv0Zs8foZQuM7jfdxSGRzfbHR8YPaaGPBwA8xSspwhaqOW3Rot6al2E90gyfCzwVgvAK6VuQSMGs590ZdipN6u2ccjeGYl5oyGniCtgGahn2DWiATptvPo__XUTploa3sVG8j5EQwv/w300-h400/StEustacheOld.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior areas that have yet to be restored.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>And just before we got to the metro station that would take us back to the Bastille, we came across the free-standing Tour Saint-Jacques. It is the last remaining vestige of the former 16th-century church Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie (Saint James of the Butchers) that was demolished in 1797 during the French Revolution. The church had been one that welcomed those on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, and for that reason it is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglB4s6kPk3xxtISJ__EvLg8TPcuPlVGF5Ympeobgs0dIYJXWYEaEnWek840Y_TKeCEmfutwu_lS9w04tKARPKSJP6bbNbylUqFKmfI6kDxzp9CwJloHVSQNz9fcPiLds4-6CiurnNlc9rFfNkS-s_iuypoms1k99RyGDUFEjlBoKRAaN8VVSDGLZ71/s2624/Tour%20St%20Jacques.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglB4s6kPk3xxtISJ__EvLg8TPcuPlVGF5Ympeobgs0dIYJXWYEaEnWek840Y_TKeCEmfutwu_lS9w04tKARPKSJP6bbNbylUqFKmfI6kDxzp9CwJloHVSQNz9fcPiLds4-6CiurnNlc9rFfNkS-s_iuypoms1k99RyGDUFEjlBoKRAaN8VVSDGLZ71/w300-h400/Tour%20St%20Jacques.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 300-steps to get to the top of the tower were<br />calling our name, but as we'd already walked quite a<br />bit, it was easy to convince ourselves that the 12 euros<br />(each) to do the climb was a bit much.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><div><p>We have a visitor joining us next week. My friend Mecki from New York City is visiting family in Germany and is taking the train to Paris on Monday to stay with us for a few days. We're looking forward to it!</p></div></div></div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-17465384399153238052023-06-15T12:36:00.001-07:002023-12-28T03:50:06.557-08:00Crowd Control<p>Just like "regular" life, our days have been a combination of accomplishing the basic and necessary tasks of everyday life (e.g., laundry, maintenance) and the "fun stuff" that helps us to become better acquainted with Paris. One of our big challenges has been, and will continue to be, how to best deal with the fact that there are currently hordes of tourists in the city. The post-Covid travel boom is on full display, and as we're not big fans of standing in long lines or getting caught up in throngs of spectators at those "must see" sights, we've made some decisions about what we will and will not attempt during our extended Parisian stay.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFm9qTpTiexgwYV_7Z_67vNPubiqQ6mjVmqyESRQrjnodfqSCNvkBv9VlB17YZz3KsZe8o5DkIYs6o2H0oHOxUocc3jhGix599aKX5iU0IvcfQCzMcDEerTrJrTrz6lsPjMmrHPtzgTJ1PGY4HTQWeiG0cA0Fl7XS_lNy8diP83CKUuAUQWGLQff2/s2624/TouristBoatSeine.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="2624" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFm9qTpTiexgwYV_7Z_67vNPubiqQ6mjVmqyESRQrjnodfqSCNvkBv9VlB17YZz3KsZe8o5DkIYs6o2H0oHOxUocc3jhGix599aKX5iU0IvcfQCzMcDEerTrJrTrz6lsPjMmrHPtzgTJ1PGY4HTQWeiG0cA0Fl7XS_lNy8diP83CKUuAUQWGLQff2/w640-h278/TouristBoatSeine.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sightseeing boats (this one on the Seine) are packed. We also see this from our<br />mooring in the Arsenal, as tour boats pass into and out of the St. Martin tunnel several times<br />a day, most of them loaded with customers. </td></tr></tbody></table><br />A visit to Versailles Palace is "out" for now. It's one of France's biggest attractions, and given the crowds we're seeing in Paris, we can only imagine how horrifically packed it must be at the moment. Maybe we'll get there in the fall before we head back to the U.S. We won't be revisiting the Louvre Museum either. Too popular, too crowded, too likely to drive us crazy. <p></p><p>What we <u>did</u> do was start our wanderings last Saturday (June 10) at "Breakfast in America", where we know we can satisfy our cravings for a breakfast that isn't just pastry and coffee. The quality isn't quite up there with our St. Pete favorite "City's Bistro", but after seven weeks with no American-style breakfast, it was a real treat for us. The stroll afterward through the historic Marais district was a joy--Paris was just starting to stir in the late morning, and it's an area made for strolling rather than for visiting famous monuments or large museums. It's currently considered an artsy and "hip" area; in the 17th century it was a place of residence for the privileged royalty and upper class.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPsw_nmaVon6Q9gdacklH3rJGzerHQ12Mu8kIgxDeiu1dTHR0HN4YOv_QyoQBPzNQgPdKrbwfKGKCR1a7PFkV9SPMYqfhWiX9-8nBx8ndlkk2a1HpGXDduuASX5TEIdF7Gr1_lbloobeUMdVeo8t3mhGl91VjYMt5vOBbytak51Hp_qD06VqjQ5CP/s3468/JulietteGun.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="2963" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPsw_nmaVon6Q9gdacklH3rJGzerHQ12Mu8kIgxDeiu1dTHR0HN4YOv_QyoQBPzNQgPdKrbwfKGKCR1a7PFkV9SPMYqfhWiX9-8nBx8ndlkk2a1HpGXDduuASX5TEIdF7Gr1_lbloobeUMdVeo8t3mhGl91VjYMt5vOBbytak51Hp_qD06VqjQ5CP/w341-h400/JulietteGun.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Juliette has a gun" is, without doubt, a <i>very</i> strange<br />name for a shop that sells perfume.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GMPtGVLmhWzrTX0YtG5AReQGcWorGOOR-GrwH5mNBEUwNtxJr0iHqnxc9qbAlxEkfpoeBUQtMR7imcQAqtGP1638-M7-XNqGD5wdvt2pJVNFV-9lebIW1ODkkeDX-zeg6strJVR4bne4MStTaLR2X4HON_wt3-tfpdcpPBUB_8DBQX2yV_tuC0eU/s4080/AncienBiblioteque.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GMPtGVLmhWzrTX0YtG5AReQGcWorGOOR-GrwH5mNBEUwNtxJr0iHqnxc9qbAlxEkfpoeBUQtMR7imcQAqtGP1638-M7-XNqGD5wdvt2pJVNFV-9lebIW1ODkkeDX-zeg6strJVR4bne4MStTaLR2X4HON_wt3-tfpdcpPBUB_8DBQX2yV_tuC0eU/w400-h300/AncienBiblioteque.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Library of the History of Paris, in what used to be a 16th <br />century mansion. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV94kiUs1Z-RXrA3sg8qL_0y9p7HC-ee-0Knoa_ao57CfmCrz9vhz-GqtM_J8bUow8lNrWPWa5sxullIjkv9F4fA0UOkxx5AON8wLegd9AsnMRQahPXTRR-0fkySNNy9jjgY7jO9WV8laRTnQA9OYlPvNeiDSljIh6kSvN7rKbAQTirfiWjNwv18KF/s4080/PlaceVosges.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV94kiUs1Z-RXrA3sg8qL_0y9p7HC-ee-0Knoa_ao57CfmCrz9vhz-GqtM_J8bUow8lNrWPWa5sxullIjkv9F4fA0UOkxx5AON8wLegd9AsnMRQahPXTRR-0fkySNNy9jjgY7jO9WV8laRTnQA9OYlPvNeiDSljIh6kSvN7rKbAQTirfiWjNwv18KF/w400-h300/PlaceVosges.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One quadrant of the Place des Vosges, originally Place Royale. It<br />is the oldest planned square in Paris and was built by Henry IV<br />from 1605-1612. The square is surrounded by buildings all constructed<br />to the same design. Each quadrant of the square has a fountain like<br />the one pictured. The whole package was absolutely beautiful.<br />It was a great place for people to hang out.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JvxBtS0lVqjs4WzhDG2VzCfQJNOCvqfsNT02-a127vRQGrIRgQ_5Qdzf9WJuIA3mFsvym74Wk81baUg9wHL3D5MhYt2yfyXoyk-FsaB-lVgRU_Yp0iHGV9RalVrmWmVs1b4DfDtbsyrMeSfBH6rBHxlh4o_L-kXFRPne3eiS-Yci_T4pNG05s8ny/s2624/StMartinCanal.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JvxBtS0lVqjs4WzhDG2VzCfQJNOCvqfsNT02-a127vRQGrIRgQ_5Qdzf9WJuIA3mFsvym74Wk81baUg9wHL3D5MhYt2yfyXoyk-FsaB-lVgRU_Yp0iHGV9RalVrmWmVs1b4DfDtbsyrMeSfBH6rBHxlh4o_L-kXFRPne3eiS-Yci_T4pNG05s8ny/w400-h300/StMartinCanal.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We grabbed our bicycles and decided to see how truly <br />bicycle-friendly Paris is these days. We didn't go too far--just north <br />of the Place de la Bastille to the Saint Martin Canal. The bike lanes<br />were great, although between cars, pedestrians, bicycles, and <br />scooters, we had a lot to keep track of in order to stay safe. For now,<br />for a more relaxed experience, we'll probably stick with<br /> the subway and walking!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lBjAtu6v3rdRE_OPma39aSEci7YYFs9ZJaeD86HzAcekn2a9TU6w3t76wYyKVgMNs3tsrWbmkBR3MTQqP_i03dQdrDcPdpTXz5lFFX5FHxVN_41cC37-k0qtwCShL9BbR77mtSMKG0VW_iERY3wAYO8SDxWeMBpFHRvCQFzRQVq5TvpAPDY23Ntt/s1746/toilettes.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1746" data-original-width="1373" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lBjAtu6v3rdRE_OPma39aSEci7YYFs9ZJaeD86HzAcekn2a9TU6w3t76wYyKVgMNs3tsrWbmkBR3MTQqP_i03dQdrDcPdpTXz5lFFX5FHxVN_41cC37-k0qtwCShL9BbR77mtSMKG0VW_iERY3wAYO8SDxWeMBpFHRvCQFzRQVq5TvpAPDY23Ntt/w315-h400/toilettes.JPG" width="315" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Appropos of nothing, French public toilets<br />near the Canal St. Martin. Not great if you're shy.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>In the afternoon we crossed the Sully Bridge into the Latin Quarter (so named because of the schools in the district, and the Latin language taught at many of them in the Middle Ages). It is one of the oldest districts in Paris, which was evident from the many meandering, narrow streets, reminiscent of the layout of medieval towns.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKMNd-nS9ArR75ARABY107xI1y3YCE9boKWgYXwE-hII7h06pYTh8RbsZNpWqxuh5Qlfkk_9Px83qGVVmbaNVUL1Z7IGke2lCLpN23sDemNgvlCysZ8oz8mV1xIvoF_jL1Ua2IHYLAYtNlGJzwAzxstprA-yUTk4setzfLkXJBdLAXhTF3Ik5h1O1/s6128/PldelaContrescarpe.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="6128" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKMNd-nS9ArR75ARABY107xI1y3YCE9boKWgYXwE-hII7h06pYTh8RbsZNpWqxuh5Qlfkk_9Px83qGVVmbaNVUL1Z7IGke2lCLpN23sDemNgvlCysZ8oz8mV1xIvoF_jL1Ua2IHYLAYtNlGJzwAzxstprA-yUTk4setzfLkXJBdLAXhTF3Ik5h1O1/w640-h200/PldelaContrescarpe.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Place de la Contrescarpe was a popular place for lunch.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9i0KfEbhQVZcmmZo9laqgthdvQHsdZ0PuZi9U2jbrEC-Dm5oAkMzcxjhEcpZoJcmjkMaJw5LCNnO1mEIf7NcjD8dTcwyFjF0RVAfx4NDiHNxqAKreIkr8Edo9XVt3mztRXU1WiOcu5jbkDx_wE7kxT9XLKwYeSw72pimsHn_WDkMv3YyAv6jatZWE/s2624/JdesPlantes.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9i0KfEbhQVZcmmZo9laqgthdvQHsdZ0PuZi9U2jbrEC-Dm5oAkMzcxjhEcpZoJcmjkMaJw5LCNnO1mEIf7NcjD8dTcwyFjF0RVAfx4NDiHNxqAKreIkr8Edo9XVt3mztRXU1WiOcu5jbkDx_wE7kxT9XLKwYeSw72pimsHn_WDkMv3YyAv6jatZWE/w400-h300/JdesPlantes.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Jardin des Plantes botanical garden has existed for nearly<br />400 years. They say that they have 10,000 wild and cultivated<br /> specimens. Also on the grounds of the park are the National<br /> Museum of Natural History and a zoological garden.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDarOgASxI-oLXjaVCdFESsVx2XSaHaD9ion540ml7_dj3LaK8LHW9mjOhCCA_DgpNAMI0FOUU4q863LWb4BkQOwsuQnlrmYm2q1A9_SXPfhSEYpxgo96RY2urbrI83NZDPwrgLW5wF5NwxHqvAXMmkiVcQ_lXssI5qLNaww1I69J7MZ36YpYjVJf/s2324/LatinQtrbusyness.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2324" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDarOgASxI-oLXjaVCdFESsVx2XSaHaD9ion540ml7_dj3LaK8LHW9mjOhCCA_DgpNAMI0FOUU4q863LWb4BkQOwsuQnlrmYm2q1A9_SXPfhSEYpxgo96RY2urbrI83NZDPwrgLW5wF5NwxHqvAXMmkiVcQ_lXssI5qLNaww1I69J7MZ36YpYjVJf/w339-h400/LatinQtrbusyness.JPG" width="339" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Latin Quarter is a popular place with tourists. It's<br />possible to find quiet streets, but Rue de la Huchette<br />isn't one of them.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-C4_KnEcKFpxCciOIJq3NtzrO3Q_w92t4ZfGGL1EDbYhX-V3D38vLYYRIi5biYbIJg8ywU-fYj_euODRur6y1e3Ikx5KeForDZrDuizFBluMXDLsBZqcSyJFxJpyjMXrujzJOuWF5dFAn6uMBgns-VNJZ1sdVIkqoVpHyQy2wbkA6K9BfpFbTPQLW/s2115/LatinQtrStreet.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2115" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-C4_KnEcKFpxCciOIJq3NtzrO3Q_w92t4ZfGGL1EDbYhX-V3D38vLYYRIi5biYbIJg8ywU-fYj_euODRur6y1e3Ikx5KeForDZrDuizFBluMXDLsBZqcSyJFxJpyjMXrujzJOuWF5dFAn6uMBgns-VNJZ1sdVIkqoVpHyQy2wbkA6K9BfpFbTPQLW/w373-h400/LatinQtrStreet.JPG" width="373" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now here's a quiet street! And lovely buildings, too.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhke_6HoDaEV98GlPHNlcaIxXiUE16hSgr705EkVNdEPcpPcmmw3Isiquxl5kaIBc5Kg6mJd-vZL2DSP8Hnf6JK1Mwkq0aHAcUagt9Li9VNlZT0zMLYhylwkb-xlOKStTlTmrMGqxdtzL_zie-d60T1fO64W_Ep3BVI9PciIHwajtepsFyxOFOygnyW/s2406/Pantheon.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1568" data-original-width="2406" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhke_6HoDaEV98GlPHNlcaIxXiUE16hSgr705EkVNdEPcpPcmmw3Isiquxl5kaIBc5Kg6mJd-vZL2DSP8Hnf6JK1Mwkq0aHAcUagt9Li9VNlZT0zMLYhylwkb-xlOKStTlTmrMGqxdtzL_zie-d60T1fO64W_Ep3BVI9PciIHwajtepsFyxOFOygnyW/w400-h261/Pantheon.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pantheon. Built during the later part of the 18th century<br />to be a church, it wasn't completed until after the French Revolution<br />had started, and the National Constituent Assembly voted to <br />transform it into a mausoleum for the remains of distinguished<br />French citizens. Twice in the 19th century it served as a church, <br />but after 1881 its exclusive use has been as a mausoleum. Among<br />those interred there are author Victor Hugo, Nobel laureate physicists<br />Marie and Pierre Curie, and most recently, performer Josephine Baker.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcU3hH0CXoxXW-6e2tSKi7O0gfjlD4MOt3TPNplrFjG0Iv-RVRYGUHSl9zXuL_J60dSl3LyiqexwU5KzOgLm08CM3yZIcjBI4s4iqNhdhI_c4EKExmPlczhz3vea6765pqJnF4SWjEI348qGwFkoY1G2l0qJ-8xZ50u_iGyfNxbuZN2MUyn4sLBaP4/s2602/LuxembourgGardens.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2602" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcU3hH0CXoxXW-6e2tSKi7O0gfjlD4MOt3TPNplrFjG0Iv-RVRYGUHSl9zXuL_J60dSl3LyiqexwU5KzOgLm08CM3yZIcjBI4s4iqNhdhI_c4EKExmPlczhz3vea6765pqJnF4SWjEI348qGwFkoY1G2l0qJ-8xZ50u_iGyfNxbuZN2MUyn4sLBaP4/w400-h236/LuxembourgGardens.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luxembourg Palace and Gardens. The park adjacent to<br />the palace is a beloved gathering spot. Built in 1625, the palace <br />was a royal residence before it became a prison during the French<br />Revolution. It is currently the seat of the French Senate. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>After walking nearly 10 miles on Saturday (and some of that was steps!), we decided to take a more relaxed pace on Sunday. In the morning we wandered through the large market set up just north of the Place de la Bastille (markets every Thursday and Sunday). </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiepdhwKmJdM0ghiqNNvltWIE1e7xUj03chFZYHMA6H9Emc_fB0PwaXnhEWIag97l8f9c6GAUOnTjuFAaWVMMgTzqoYzX6tnoukcva_FTW2TE3RmXplN7A7UsZaj2gVl9Cd3P9caSxUJAqmgzGjawBh98mxc4VyGc1qyOohHwjlIFSIOVXJONTgwR0/s4080/MarketDay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiepdhwKmJdM0ghiqNNvltWIE1e7xUj03chFZYHMA6H9Emc_fB0PwaXnhEWIag97l8f9c6GAUOnTjuFAaWVMMgTzqoYzX6tnoukcva_FTW2TE3RmXplN7A7UsZaj2gVl9Cd3P9caSxUJAqmgzGjawBh98mxc4VyGc1qyOohHwjlIFSIOVXJONTgwR0/w400-h300/MarketDay.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The market was huge. Lots of produce stands (although most<br />things you could find in the grocery store for a similar price), as<br />well as meats, fish, and specialty products like honey (above).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>In the late afternoon we wandered back into the Marais neighborhood to the Church of Saint Paul-Saint Louis to attend a free organ-voice recital. It was just OK, and we took advantage of a disruption outdoors about 40 minutes into the concert to make our exit.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lCio1T2Q8hOZiVJGxP9DZAmO9Rn5MIMEA6mn_gVglNtMCcaP56l01l4L1cBYl9ZeFg8C8YSsybCIYNEZEs3MsB-bSYLKsBwAVxPxqRp42GlFL5ClXekQxldSRwK7zjiWqb2eQtDRPzzDQVPCW2er_pia9kC3iWmTRPa5hv5fIqYJEOYOh-8JEmGU/s4080/Concert.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lCio1T2Q8hOZiVJGxP9DZAmO9Rn5MIMEA6mn_gVglNtMCcaP56l01l4L1cBYl9ZeFg8C8YSsybCIYNEZEs3MsB-bSYLKsBwAVxPxqRp42GlFL5ClXekQxldSRwK7zjiWqb2eQtDRPzzDQVPCW2er_pia9kC3iWmTRPa5hv5fIqYJEOYOh-8JEmGU/w300-h400/Concert.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior of the Church of Saint Paul-Saint Louis.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3ubSwAGuu6lTJ5EChlFMNVkOxpk33yBlMPmpImdP6XsNJ9VcQOx6sdIvbbpZre56HsjJYVUtgm5-ylkoLVF7yjFmaC7dFYN5k1iRs1T72S16FFBYHV-SGjN3oVM5zl71nKZbL2RQRhJ4gr6A6yKBc22G4oCeV60oAvpMjg-MI_EANNAAqnRe9s28/s3883/EnvironmentDemo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2515" data-original-width="3883" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3ubSwAGuu6lTJ5EChlFMNVkOxpk33yBlMPmpImdP6XsNJ9VcQOx6sdIvbbpZre56HsjJYVUtgm5-ylkoLVF7yjFmaC7dFYN5k1iRs1T72S16FFBYHV-SGjN3oVM5zl71nKZbL2RQRhJ4gr6A6yKBc22G4oCeV60oAvpMjg-MI_EANNAAqnRe9s28/w400-h259/EnvironmentDemo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The outside "disruption" was an environmental demonstration,<br />complete with a group singing songs that could be heard inside<br />the church. The crowd outside was appreciative, but not<br />the car drivers or bus riders, as the street was effectively blocked.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="text-align: center;">A 10-minute metro ride on Monday afternoon (No. 1 line direct from the Bastille station--convenient!) took us nearly to the entry gate to the Chateau de Vincennes. This fortified royal residence began as a hunting lodge in the 12th century. Charles V (1364-1380) completed much of the work on the large keep, and then surrounded it and the manor (which existed in the 13th and 14th centuries but was destroyed starting in the 17th C) </span><span style="text-align: center;">with a protective wall. He died before the chapel--if something that large can be called a chapel--was completed. The chateau served as a prison from the 15th through the 19th centuries (one of its "guests" was the Marquis de Sade) and was a place of refuge for French monarchs during the 16th and 17th centuries, but was abandoned as a royal residence when Louis XIV decided to settle in Versailles in the late 1600's. From that point it became a major arsenal.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The Germans occupied the chateau in WWII. The complex sustained major damage in 1944, when the retreating Germans set off explosives in three areas of munitions storage. <br /><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzWXzv4CYdu9bYFnfUTdm3igcr1MakrZ2BOkRuXIs5njNcAoZqBvRihXoRZ-Xxyd3N9PKiqia-ArmxzPQ6CoK7CrobaNOBXCUX7DbfXeG1aTnMLAwhJjQUVnGeNewaRyjTc8XdevKKZPrQ1OITGG4hR_mvizyu96p3_xJKF2VQ7pUc7RZEOjoB1RV/s4416/VincennesP1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="4416" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzWXzv4CYdu9bYFnfUTdm3igcr1MakrZ2BOkRuXIs5njNcAoZqBvRihXoRZ-Xxyd3N9PKiqia-ArmxzPQ6CoK7CrobaNOBXCUX7DbfXeG1aTnMLAwhJjQUVnGeNewaRyjTc8XdevKKZPrQ1OITGG4hR_mvizyu96p3_xJKF2VQ7pUc7RZEOjoB1RV/w640-h278/VincennesP1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chatelet in front, and the tall keep, where Charles V had a residence, in the background. At 50 meters high, it is the tallest medieval keep in France. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8x7FL31akEO1cI-Z7_GEU7Xu-r4NUqVzmOxh8xe7DEhOr36Kq8B8ZsmnnmqqmMgCNdxVT-uOtTpHqTowtLxS1uRJvo6wriVfzwSA0PpVgDEd8P_rPr2kc0Pa1brkgnQhqLIOsO8KY6JjbZikBXo-y-YRlxKr__MI3h0nnfs9QY-_SNWKCrzw91mZc/s7920/VincennesP2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="7920" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8x7FL31akEO1cI-Z7_GEU7Xu-r4NUqVzmOxh8xe7DEhOr36Kq8B8ZsmnnmqqmMgCNdxVT-uOtTpHqTowtLxS1uRJvo6wriVfzwSA0PpVgDEd8P_rPr2kc0Pa1brkgnQhqLIOsO8KY6JjbZikBXo-y-YRlxKr__MI3h0nnfs9QY-_SNWKCrzw91mZc/w640-h157/VincennesP2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the observation level of the chatelet toward Sainte-Chapelle, the Holy Chapel.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOpMuJUs6lDTjJ3sJxLkfXzxacpzvqzPsfNwjJnwaKcsfAQtaGTS8cYK2BjPSMLufYBu7cW1xhmz6EEYpbhMxUiUrKhIdPinJ_C37ppIjxO2WxKPwRPw5zKUEHjVyK1jkvzN_2-X2nGZtSvSO_3sen6V3AwVbPOICzIYNtdNpCVpLKb7mxrt1Rx6H/s5584/VincennesP3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="5584" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOpMuJUs6lDTjJ3sJxLkfXzxacpzvqzPsfNwjJnwaKcsfAQtaGTS8cYK2BjPSMLufYBu7cW1xhmz6EEYpbhMxUiUrKhIdPinJ_C37ppIjxO2WxKPwRPw5zKUEHjVyK1jkvzN_2-X2nGZtSvSO_3sen6V3AwVbPOICzIYNtdNpCVpLKb7mxrt1Rx6H/w640-h221/VincennesP3.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The classical pavilions (buildings to the right and left) are 17th century additions<br />ordered built by Louis XIV.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mkg52o-gYmB9RqNWv4mJQrgGsZmZBIl1ZumYnKjtsLtx06jEAc_BTfrupJCnj-z7KrG8ERMWIf5Sxs8F119Db1UszDRog713oTEF5-P3hlY9GceB4rOXookPLqAiw5XuzbuhUP46Yp5UDedjnYRsvJSRFlvM4cE4dhVf82D875vQM6kfhYED88w_/s2004/70Steps.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1802" data-original-width="2004" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mkg52o-gYmB9RqNWv4mJQrgGsZmZBIl1ZumYnKjtsLtx06jEAc_BTfrupJCnj-z7KrG8ERMWIf5Sxs8F119Db1UszDRog713oTEF5-P3hlY9GceB4rOXookPLqAiw5XuzbuhUP46Yp5UDedjnYRsvJSRFlvM4cE4dhVf82D875vQM6kfhYED88w_/w400-h360/70Steps.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The story of our time in France, on this day as well as many<br />others. 70 steps to get up to the balcony level in the chapel;<br />I have no idea how many other steps we conquered in the numerous<br />circular staircases we climbed that day. In case there's any<br />doubt, those are Lon's lovely legs in the background.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-To_-BeO_szV834ZT5De4kQzeqEOZU3zt71o5fq-IT3LN0khZFMVl5j9nLbGcJvnLg0R0gVt3UfAhZU3GJlAUZweVaOjk19Alsf_pU8x8Sdrt5OYcNKjGMXt1Z4W7TFIFISnadWlLginTR7c0raHFKe61soaR9gBH4BxAzK2vkVvdB0pQr5UnM-wf/s2624/LonVincennesWalkway.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-To_-BeO_szV834ZT5De4kQzeqEOZU3zt71o5fq-IT3LN0khZFMVl5j9nLbGcJvnLg0R0gVt3UfAhZU3GJlAUZweVaOjk19Alsf_pU8x8Sdrt5OYcNKjGMXt1Z4W7TFIFISnadWlLginTR7c0raHFKe61soaR9gBH4BxAzK2vkVvdB0pQr5UnM-wf/w300-h400/LonVincennesWalkway.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon on the 1st level entry to the keep. When the<br /> keep was built, this was the only way in.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2CpKfeDtpM4_brD-yu4p3uIwwQPf3HnwwZIVwyHAdMwbfKBR3qyXm7hvPBDw_T_jCstoIS--xpNYlReuqnlarQjGAfa6bRibt0Sn8uCb_seCW1X8AINDr4JaRF-z3hFHIy2gNtALiOW383aBRx7J3IoAJa7BWjFOfsd4foZD46I2D57dC3QwlXdB/s2624/SainteGermainceiling.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2CpKfeDtpM4_brD-yu4p3uIwwQPf3HnwwZIVwyHAdMwbfKBR3qyXm7hvPBDw_T_jCstoIS--xpNYlReuqnlarQjGAfa6bRibt0Sn8uCb_seCW1X8AINDr4JaRF-z3hFHIy2gNtALiOW383aBRx7J3IoAJa7BWjFOfsd4foZD46I2D57dC3QwlXdB/w400-h300/SainteGermainceiling.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ceiling in Sainte-Chapelle. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqArLVuCIAxtNCMKWykUh_juqxSciHsPEMKxBWVsgYqiaUHEmCBQsEf4eD0mLp19S1Xz32B9KfT2wrghN8BG9v_GSgQJ1OizWDecmOldorf0RcBBKiDbrP7fKWiDtbMWB5DYza7PF7Le2cTn-Zqi2QxBgPMCeP-pMzU3B31ZLyKBM-Kk2peoeTB7ef/s2624/TreeofLife.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqArLVuCIAxtNCMKWykUh_juqxSciHsPEMKxBWVsgYqiaUHEmCBQsEf4eD0mLp19S1Xz32B9KfT2wrghN8BG9v_GSgQJ1OizWDecmOldorf0RcBBKiDbrP7fKWiDtbMWB5DYza7PF7Le2cTn-Zqi2QxBgPMCeP-pMzU3B31ZLyKBM-Kk2peoeTB7ef/w300-h400/TreeofLife.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Tree of Life" art installation in the Holy Chapel.<br />The photo doesn't do it justice. It had small lights<br />throughout, and over 100,000 hand-sewn leaves.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVZpd2YTiyQ2EMvHWG0CedVp0fQmMdy4NJjpZir2YuWQlsCPlhdhTzZMXCXgwXdVon0D5jmc2EhtIA9m7u5XABffgly-J1CLF9SOlCDCzHSFt4nOCJ2h-EkztFFp4pcgeuFaNEU_OB_2fA-pFHz52KKlK7NclYthmGWmwmOtLz_OtKiH5xZ28NwAY/s2624/VChateletTerrace.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVZpd2YTiyQ2EMvHWG0CedVp0fQmMdy4NJjpZir2YuWQlsCPlhdhTzZMXCXgwXdVon0D5jmc2EhtIA9m7u5XABffgly-J1CLF9SOlCDCzHSFt4nOCJ2h-EkztFFp4pcgeuFaNEU_OB_2fA-pFHz52KKlK7NclYthmGWmwmOtLz_OtKiH5xZ28NwAY/w400-h300/VChateletTerrace.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the chatelet, which formed the main entrance to the<br />keep. We were permitted to climb to the terrace (just to the<br />left of the small tower) for a great view over the chateau grounds.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>All-in-all, it was a great place to visit. The only crowds we encountered were several groups of schoolchildren, and their itineraries did not impede anyone who was doing the "regular" visit. If there were a magic formula for touristic visits, this was it: easy to get to, interesting historical site, and no crowds. Too bad we couldn't quite duplicate the "total package" the next day.</div></div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-36556360150329533422023-06-11T04:16:00.003-07:002023-12-28T03:28:25.725-08:00Transition<p>Our last overnight stop on the Marne prior to reaching Paris was the town of Lagny-sur-Marne, a mere three-hour cruise from Meaux. We are happy to report that we had no Gilligan-style mishaps on the way.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvuUXSh-3ePzhXwZcsmkmHzdMhhU7Bxpj4jhRYYrlnnIPYv3di9a6kD-dyG9ZGGfhUdx3rLbf1AdAOvGEQv15MVMniaabykHEy2LC8HI5J6WmapW_sr_9WH3zFU1UY7WowdsSwjMBpspC8pMFGINEGIO2yLeAmK1bjbszNlaTn2JQNfzBuqBlBcJ9/s2624/RiverscapeNoVineyards.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="2624" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvuUXSh-3ePzhXwZcsmkmHzdMhhU7Bxpj4jhRYYrlnnIPYv3di9a6kD-dyG9ZGGfhUdx3rLbf1AdAOvGEQv15MVMniaabykHEy2LC8HI5J6WmapW_sr_9WH3zFU1UY7WowdsSwjMBpspC8pMFGINEGIO2yLeAmK1bjbszNlaTn2JQNfzBuqBlBcJ9/w640-h298/RiverscapeNoVineyards.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are definitely away from vineyards, but as close as we are to Paris, it still feels very rural.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpg4IhI4TRIzr0KkS1-EYGUYfuzIiJ-Szj9HR6nMtNrKWgZ-V-7W6cRS1rEHJKQrj-h6adbyAwYw3h57oR5QcGbPmlvaeV7WzDRczjegx9inKOOiIL9I0XhlQpw1E_rWgsDnRhbiCDfyQlfAdvh9uzPl0GJk4aAj9xNzA68jzWLhnxIhOo69hgivzM/s2624/TunnelGreen.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1826" data-original-width="2624" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpg4IhI4TRIzr0KkS1-EYGUYfuzIiJ-Szj9HR6nMtNrKWgZ-V-7W6cRS1rEHJKQrj-h6adbyAwYw3h57oR5QcGbPmlvaeV7WzDRczjegx9inKOOiIL9I0XhlQpw1E_rWgsDnRhbiCDfyQlfAdvh9uzPl0GJk4aAj9xNzA68jzWLhnxIhOo69hgivzM/w400-h279/TunnelGreen.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A small (600 meter) tunnel enroute, buried under greenery.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJtMvp8xzhp4GyNlAp9RNN-SHvKRcw41jnLhU2eKpbg5LUF7bMPl4_VcX7efluyYkZGIJVUIh0s6xRXGzbTlMGriNs1t-WGg825H1laDLFutP0S2KmH9wSMx-3omFmkE5-K5uFUp8B7fFRtmdEXvKBH9hG4iZXulFwNWBIgTUBWl8WRjOSKnKP_w2/s2586/LagnyMooring.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1342" data-original-width="2586" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJtMvp8xzhp4GyNlAp9RNN-SHvKRcw41jnLhU2eKpbg5LUF7bMPl4_VcX7efluyYkZGIJVUIh0s6xRXGzbTlMGriNs1t-WGg825H1laDLFutP0S2KmH9wSMx-3omFmkE5-K5uFUp8B7fFRtmdEXvKBH9hG4iZXulFwNWBIgTUBWl8WRjOSKnKP_w2/w640-h333/LagnyMooring.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lagny had a great halte nautique for our overnight stop. Any chance to plug into<br />electricity is welcome.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>During the Middle Ages, Lagny was a popular place in Northern France for tournaments. It had a fortified castle . . . of which only remnants remain (and not in their original location). It had an old market hall . . . of which the arches remain. It had the Church of Saint-Fursy, sold during the Revolution . . . and of which only the western facade remains. It had an abbey and its church . . . of which the church still remains (although not all construction is still from the Middle Ages) and an abbey building from the 18th century (nowadays used as the Town Hall). Still, for all that was missing, the town had a very pleasant "feel" and we enjoyed the stop.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90iYgSm8iadiSjrBwNnsQIClG0SNkfpevm0cPQ0z0F7k-eF268V0nEwCZ4Mn8xVWVIpsD8zYQVidDpiEtcwJ-GzFuVuFMVjurM2-6j2CBB1EniJKijW9dVcob6cLO7qeYFB3wtcE9TToOgvBnVRvnqTk9IE9wUtDOACYazDZjJG1Sni6cn8eKpdaS/s1749/FAcadeStFUrsy.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1749" data-original-width="1397" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90iYgSm8iadiSjrBwNnsQIClG0SNkfpevm0cPQ0z0F7k-eF268V0nEwCZ4Mn8xVWVIpsD8zYQVidDpiEtcwJ-GzFuVuFMVjurM2-6j2CBB1EniJKijW9dVcob6cLO7qeYFB3wtcE9TToOgvBnVRvnqTk9IE9wUtDOACYazDZjJG1Sni6cn8eKpdaS/w320-h400/FAcadeStFUrsy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The western facade of Church of Saint-Fursy has been<br />incorporated into a more modern building behind it.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMukO2620ND0LZzi1oHyVE5r80avwHLih81qTbDEscmSfZ_1IPQxYLAqzQt3HgVkpD7WzxX884YEjFxi693Bk1xaNm5pzENgIpUO0MbCjk1yEyqAeGTc3dg_wEDKF62q2rtAxWORdvG1YE-w0HWDlWpFNgHd6A4fEm1eMNSaWYaxkKpSbIPB5cE0W1/s2624/LonOldAbbeyEntry.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMukO2620ND0LZzi1oHyVE5r80avwHLih81qTbDEscmSfZ_1IPQxYLAqzQt3HgVkpD7WzxX884YEjFxi693Bk1xaNm5pzENgIpUO0MbCjk1yEyqAeGTc3dg_wEDKF62q2rtAxWORdvG1YE-w0HWDlWpFNgHd6A4fEm1eMNSaWYaxkKpSbIPB5cE0W1/w300-h400/LonOldAbbeyEntry.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon passing under the arch of the former fortified entry<br /> leading to the old abbey courtyard area.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSvBczXWv4j-eE89hUUkoJDRXHN-lPb0KIHefTSUrzfwXRStmG5uGV1CBxtTJdfEFrJvB8hBF0dlSVkkXs0u-E-zlLzD2Yz9m7reVYmYht8maYWr37ETBe4ay0vC14hAIAYpWHXU47oqevQL3Z2LQZOE6yBRplKPpGw0pDgK4-Ne7t3Zzye2hO07m/s2624/NotreDameRear.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSvBczXWv4j-eE89hUUkoJDRXHN-lPb0KIHefTSUrzfwXRStmG5uGV1CBxtTJdfEFrJvB8hBF0dlSVkkXs0u-E-zlLzD2Yz9m7reVYmYht8maYWr37ETBe4ay0vC14hAIAYpWHXU47oqevQL3Z2LQZOE6yBRplKPpGw0pDgK4-Ne7t3Zzye2hO07m/w640-h480/NotreDameRear.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rear garden of the old abbey church, the Church of Notre-Dame des Ardents. The choir of the church is probably the oldest part (13 C) of the building. Every church in France seems to have<br />at least one statue of Joan of Arc, and this church had two: one inside, and one outside.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Joan of Arc was in Lagny twice during her short life. During her visit in 1430, it is claimed that her prayers brought back to life an unbaptized, newborn infant who had been dead for three days. The child yawned three times, and started to regain color, but apparently lived only long enough to be baptized. For some reason, this was not one of the miracles listed in support of the process leading to the declaration of her sainthood in 1920.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0578H_gBTJ9rFQ_LcRNIaoDHrqPYfxHJsg6bcHsS-osNSUbM7h1lEpc7AHQc5EO-Il0Q2mw8Uy83r6yzTA4QxRlFDrpDH3LxUcLhQrJnFy5AVqE6aj5JdkglmyNblBdXkcup0ZDdiVEiGQzBP_NjEP2wikiMSHYa5AgXFXNlMuyG_LHK7WcFhc3cZ/s2058/JofAMirarclePlaque.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2058" data-original-width="1331" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0578H_gBTJ9rFQ_LcRNIaoDHrqPYfxHJsg6bcHsS-osNSUbM7h1lEpc7AHQc5EO-Il0Q2mw8Uy83r6yzTA4QxRlFDrpDH3LxUcLhQrJnFy5AVqE6aj5JdkglmyNblBdXkcup0ZDdiVEiGQzBP_NjEP2wikiMSHYa5AgXFXNlMuyG_LHK7WcFhc3cZ/w259-h400/JofAMirarclePlaque.JPG" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A plaque in the church which contains an account of<br />the miracle, as conveyed to the judges presiding over Joan's<br />trial in Rouen after her arrest.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> We made the transition from suburban Lagny to urban Paris on Tuesday, June 6.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcY2y0QJK6jN9sQ6722-LrI1EZQ7XCyOm8O5gCcnrg7mbnC5r_8GPC7KVzV_6L9m3jBkEXXFBXI7LgnB82WdT0-EEXHbg585sRQdD17ITpsBYNqMYUtNUKYl9pSO03MCDUsQLBZguBLjNqYjLjSYMTqEh60uNSucj3MD10zAPQ5uhk_Rk98yx9WplB/s2624/MarneHintsofParis.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="2624" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcY2y0QJK6jN9sQ6722-LrI1EZQ7XCyOm8O5gCcnrg7mbnC5r_8GPC7KVzV_6L9m3jBkEXXFBXI7LgnB82WdT0-EEXHbg585sRQdD17ITpsBYNqMYUtNUKYl9pSO03MCDUsQLBZguBLjNqYjLjSYMTqEh60uNSucj3MD10zAPQ5uhk_Rk98yx9WplB/w640-h280/MarneHintsofParis.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting to see more hints of the urban area to come.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBzzzhDBWu8kiiPldiYM_pbOot_mLUrS9yT1Hf0wOzbMpwf5zvIg6-YyotutJLyLDoHFzAxCS5xxg9UlELADSn34qHarUi2C9OA5phylPc5JqZARTS55JVANnjCzGpVxa-TUK9TRITO3IXvZFuadhtACWLj6dUIzFnkaDLXVC6p1hsFjjkUhteFpc/s2624/MarneLastTunnel.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBzzzhDBWu8kiiPldiYM_pbOot_mLUrS9yT1Hf0wOzbMpwf5zvIg6-YyotutJLyLDoHFzAxCS5xxg9UlELADSn34qHarUi2C9OA5phylPc5JqZARTS55JVANnjCzGpVxa-TUK9TRITO3IXvZFuadhtACWLj6dUIzFnkaDLXVC6p1hsFjjkUhteFpc/w400-h300/MarneLastTunnel.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our last tunnel.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pSA5oHukLfAFL1yVpajOcP0mSxcSmOIDfOY6XXd4U02sPCyv6WotzDTxMz1DxgjUMYo9zpvnBoCszqvjXeFLUry0K242q4npFYZ6LbaLNxZSxUc44RZ5Ha0qZ0WIIhFj6nzet9gHNlS11lK-Gk_KCoVG9O5-xeNN1E2QbXYdqf8UKBKBzeDhmsHC/s2624/SharingLock.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pSA5oHukLfAFL1yVpajOcP0mSxcSmOIDfOY6XXd4U02sPCyv6WotzDTxMz1DxgjUMYo9zpvnBoCszqvjXeFLUry0K242q4npFYZ6LbaLNxZSxUc44RZ5Ha0qZ0WIIhFj6nzet9gHNlS11lK-Gk_KCoVG9O5-xeNN1E2QbXYdqf8UKBKBzeDhmsHC/w300-h400/SharingLock.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing the last lock on the Marne with a<br />commercial vessel.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lqm3uBCKuZBdLGKv2avfz6UrGRpVZgDY9gH9a6e7xa8rSDI_BVVDhP7-0oE2NOGqjj_BZ38TJ-J25G0Y4DiqJxukbkKpWQXPI2rCiHC30X5aKOw_uphq26AhZzkBPF00pQgI0I0-b-PWhGaIAx4zE6TSqKln6z24LXe7XzKUZAnwq8RikDVMTGnN/s1756/MarneRiverArt.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1183" data-original-width="1756" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lqm3uBCKuZBdLGKv2avfz6UrGRpVZgDY9gH9a6e7xa8rSDI_BVVDhP7-0oE2NOGqjj_BZ38TJ-J25G0Y4DiqJxukbkKpWQXPI2rCiHC30X5aKOw_uphq26AhZzkBPF00pQgI0I0-b-PWhGaIAx4zE6TSqKln6z24LXe7XzKUZAnwq8RikDVMTGnN/w400-h270/MarneRiverArt.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making the Marne quays "beautiful"?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33NVLxF3wG6A_8ZvnP7hqTnZFb9pNRJ-aTOjTFRTlc2O0_CcrJVFysXSLH1Fx4MvPEjbumZoruvfRJhcgbrOQ-miAioa_btAmJnhgRMsMOkVO4QV90ETbpPDcVlJZ3zKKTwEWjc2Jmo-FwFghuXnn-R8NWRQtmZHcfbG3MGT1fTzW9tYflkrX_vUp/s2624/MarneSeineConfluence.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="2624" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33NVLxF3wG6A_8ZvnP7hqTnZFb9pNRJ-aTOjTFRTlc2O0_CcrJVFysXSLH1Fx4MvPEjbumZoruvfRJhcgbrOQ-miAioa_btAmJnhgRMsMOkVO4QV90ETbpPDcVlJZ3zKKTwEWjc2Jmo-FwFghuXnn-R8NWRQtmZHcfbG3MGT1fTzW9tYflkrX_vUp/w640-h366/MarneSeineConfluence.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Chinese-themed hotel and restaurant marks the confluence of the Marne<br />and the Seine. We were now about 4 kilometers upstream from our entrance into Port de Arsenal.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUcg8GHFXaO1XvjgY_EdNMVLtcW-tu7POLTL1dUkkclpf2dOpTzoSwmBOfuJLxoloTaqF5fhgv0ZNYGrfkZRePkG5bLk_IK3MAISrsZvdZf1QkNBwB89wU0jmqYC2YTYcfvD3hFBxv-nddvzqrPaOzbIDuE_ufQiXIN5RKprnP48vSzPOq45S04kI/s2624/SeineFirstViews.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="2624" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUcg8GHFXaO1XvjgY_EdNMVLtcW-tu7POLTL1dUkkclpf2dOpTzoSwmBOfuJLxoloTaqF5fhgv0ZNYGrfkZRePkG5bLk_IK3MAISrsZvdZf1QkNBwB89wU0jmqYC2YTYcfvD3hFBxv-nddvzqrPaOzbIDuE_ufQiXIN5RKprnP48vSzPOq45S04kI/w400-h186/SeineFirstViews.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First views of the Seine. This is not the side of Paris in which the Eiffel<br />Tower is found. We will have to be satisfied with modern buildings<br />and an industrial "vibe" for now.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmJNVVGW9rwb399Ld0yfhNBgCBpFsf21EVKmoXSTJGwO8HvrTSi07ox-1CQ0pSrsyLM2bfV5V_6wr2uS_MrujIB-iAijdYE6mR71GhW-q3uGlb61xvPluz2iogMB0JDu4vYdBvg_kMExjaXCo5b5PwoLVxIX08_aJN79XPNnHP4vl_06OJnaRh5gP/s2624/SeineModArch.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1711" data-original-width="2624" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmJNVVGW9rwb399Ld0yfhNBgCBpFsf21EVKmoXSTJGwO8HvrTSi07ox-1CQ0pSrsyLM2bfV5V_6wr2uS_MrujIB-iAijdYE6mR71GhW-q3uGlb61xvPluz2iogMB0JDu4vYdBvg_kMExjaXCo5b5PwoLVxIX08_aJN79XPNnHP4vl_06OJnaRh5gP/w400-h261/SeineModArch.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These may not have been the beautiful, historic buildings we love<br />to see in central Paris, but they were interesting, nonetheless.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Because we arrived in Paris a few days earlier than we had originally arranged with the Port de Arsenal, we had to take a temporary mooring for the first two days until our long-term slip was vacated. This temporary mooring had us rafted to another barge very close to the lock that separates the Seine from the Port. We used the two days to do tasks such as cleaning and grocery shopping, as well as simply to acclimate ourselves to a lifestyle where we weren't either cruising--or getting ready to cruise.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN99U4IN0pe_vB5D8nF_5mdrFCqI_biGEeX02bgZcZ-sC7skySx0yAO_iZBrLKgh2ApnElW2UM6tjZRpGzFDCaQA2ZxxwNuv08jHiwbyfULBXexFHfjxOrU_WFvLUncRLPoaN7DQ9iYOpm0gaKhO1HcafvuWuoDYFCiCa5YXHnOXWxYad4hbduZlH4/s3863/ArsenalCARIB.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2768" data-original-width="3863" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN99U4IN0pe_vB5D8nF_5mdrFCqI_biGEeX02bgZcZ-sC7skySx0yAO_iZBrLKgh2ApnElW2UM6tjZRpGzFDCaQA2ZxxwNuv08jHiwbyfULBXexFHfjxOrU_WFvLUncRLPoaN7DQ9iYOpm0gaKhO1HcafvuWuoDYFCiCa5YXHnOXWxYad4hbduZlH4/w400-h286/ArsenalCARIB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo was taken from a pedestrian walkway that crosses the basin<br />about halfway down the length of the basin. The entry lock is<br /> to the upper right-hand side of the photo, and CARIB III is the small<br /> blue and white object on the left side of the water, about mid-photo.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmWlfbHz0KPqI-GyAMa1EJogJHLuA8pKPjySdSrJyB0eIHZW5F9RvPlJee-LeR9Ha4T03PU9V0Q7_XDRsdu40bbviB42VqZCKYuNoqLVy3BZjEw57PFqjK5L16OCDQcVhp8z3uhJe7s5J9okY4IW0q8SEKjsk0VMj-cl_UDPK5OAGM91_w73Er-bE/s2624/RescueTraining1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2624" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmWlfbHz0KPqI-GyAMa1EJogJHLuA8pKPjySdSrJyB0eIHZW5F9RvPlJee-LeR9Ha4T03PU9V0Q7_XDRsdu40bbviB42VqZCKYuNoqLVy3BZjEw57PFqjK5L16OCDQcVhp8z3uhJe7s5J9okY4IW0q8SEKjsk0VMj-cl_UDPK5OAGM91_w73Er-bE/w400-h235/RescueTraining1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had "entertainment" on Wednesday morning, when the local<br />rescue service ran some practice drills in the port.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_4EuPLD-8XXHVVpRNnpLftEvL3uuCGhQu-Y6Bp4fWtHNOtTxTv5nAd8cGS02fVIDU4NmHnPEIsHTCE_6c4ReRSIHclRbNIrg28lFPGQOkEozfjOoWl6dD6vTEL6EUqcxy3XXL9-KAtvou1e5NDCY6GpDYuBg5cNlYQry6lCp-NwirRx_t4tuJYHS/s3060/QuaiHoteldeVille.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2702" data-original-width="3060" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_4EuPLD-8XXHVVpRNnpLftEvL3uuCGhQu-Y6Bp4fWtHNOtTxTv5nAd8cGS02fVIDU4NmHnPEIsHTCE_6c4ReRSIHclRbNIrg28lFPGQOkEozfjOoWl6dD6vTEL6EUqcxy3XXL9-KAtvou1e5NDCY6GpDYuBg5cNlYQry6lCp-NwirRx_t4tuJYHS/w400-h354/QuaiHoteldeVille.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mid-week, mid-day stroll along the Seine is sedate<br />and uncrowded.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEishAeOZx1SagBYxNmuQrsrcKkMUxhKUEoevBY06YwmyOK8eGIQZ8Q5nth4DTtt3EVMpwbo36LG7X-9xwwrENqQT45ySd4TzkYeAmpjhRPk5vT6MZNeCPdocppJSJRmMqMZKZE8mHfX6OSYgTsrh2KrXDQ_db84zKaPSmO-GZK2O5Iw3yD4WpWW6QNG/s4080/HoteldeVilleHandicap.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEishAeOZx1SagBYxNmuQrsrcKkMUxhKUEoevBY06YwmyOK8eGIQZ8Q5nth4DTtt3EVMpwbo36LG7X-9xwwrENqQT45ySd4TzkYeAmpjhRPk5vT6MZNeCPdocppJSJRmMqMZKZE8mHfX6OSYgTsrh2KrXDQ_db84zKaPSmO-GZK2O5Iw3yD4WpWW6QNG/w400-h300/HoteldeVilleHandicap.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">France is getting ready to host the 2023 World Para Athletics<br />Championships in July. We saw this in front of the Hotel de Ville<br />(town hall), with an apparent tie-in to the Olympics (to be<br />held in Paris in 2024).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>On Thursday, June 8, we were able to relocate to our "permanent" mooring. We are nearly all the way down the basin from the entry lock, essentially adjacent to the tunnel opening that leads to the Saint Martin Canal. All we have to do is pop up the stairs in front of the boat and we're in the Place de la Bastille.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNv5OmH6_DZ3y4TDtC_9DWBijlkV3EbbAqbhh9spSic4gw7w92rbJH6iXD6Gg_1vroWEIMv9TKmB6bF5bejhleNP0R3k3FYJ_FbxJbUXAGp87u0MvTiUQVlp2btuhIWJ2EDYuTrGBgwsEOPAfBw2glDBWZ21B0uWn52d81o14Okue3pm9ikEWieSGg/s3121/CARIBfrMetro.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3121" data-original-width="2403" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNv5OmH6_DZ3y4TDtC_9DWBijlkV3EbbAqbhh9spSic4gw7w92rbJH6iXD6Gg_1vroWEIMv9TKmB6bF5bejhleNP0R3k3FYJ_FbxJbUXAGp87u0MvTiUQVlp2btuhIWJ2EDYuTrGBgwsEOPAfBw2glDBWZ21B0uWn52d81o14Okue3pm9ikEWieSGg/w308-h400/CARIBfrMetro.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CARIB is visible from a vantage point in the Metro station<br />that is located on the bridge over the tunnel. <u>Very</u><br />convenient, and surprisingly, not particularly noisy. Not<br />particularly private for us either, I suppose.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Finally settled in one spot until June 27, on Friday we headed out to Port Cergy (where we had moored the boat last winter) to retrieve some official boat certification documents that had been mailed from the Netherlands. We always love the comparison between "boat time" and "land time." In this case, one hour via train and walking to get between Port Cergy and the Arsenal vs. five weeks by boat to travel by canal and river on the route we took. Of course, there were faster routes to cruise between the two locations, but we were really happy with the route we took and the experiences we had.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xgbzpBEZt4owIPlHQD8XWk3T2s5dKK3DE-5MArL6ILY_d05HEIdKfTC2dbMd7NuIPqOrhX9mQwgMqU8VuPT93L0__XkO9-Crpg27mKg6GZL6MKLK0qUOUwiJ3fwMX2CaXBCk9LnM2_fGglM7-abDS16c4IGnzpIsxsJZy5JgLKdJHwUjbskwW4ft/s3571/RoseSteve.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3571" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xgbzpBEZt4owIPlHQD8XWk3T2s5dKK3DE-5MArL6ILY_d05HEIdKfTC2dbMd7NuIPqOrhX9mQwgMqU8VuPT93L0__XkO9-Crpg27mKg6GZL6MKLK0qUOUwiJ3fwMX2CaXBCk9LnM2_fGglM7-abDS16c4IGnzpIsxsJZy5JgLKdJHwUjbskwW4ft/w343-h400/RoseSteve.jpg" width="343" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While in Cergy we had lunch with our Australian friends<br />Rose and Steve, who are preparing for their own<br />cruising season.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>On our return to the boat we stopped at the area of Paris known as La Defense. This is Europe's largest planned business district. It was named after a statue--La Defense de Paris--from 1883 that commemorated soldiers who had defended Paris in the Franco-Prussian War more than a decade earlier. Construction on the buildings started in the 1950's, and continued on-and-off into the 1990's. Being there was like stepping into a different world.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhrJZcqXe9pFc_iSog4Mo9i2kzeLWfHp_8LDP7UEZlzbLJ8SIUts_2PKVxId94Ht4lflCagzRVGXDNqIx3dBXvH7l0I7bSPWAB7WjzuZWSrgMruo7_0C327LwiQMWf28nuQjnUjCVDNHPEZ03vP0QyX235BiUf-mHc-jW4Asv5n1FZOMFqlZwuag0/s4080/GrandeArche.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhrJZcqXe9pFc_iSog4Mo9i2kzeLWfHp_8LDP7UEZlzbLJ8SIUts_2PKVxId94Ht4lflCagzRVGXDNqIx3dBXvH7l0I7bSPWAB7WjzuZWSrgMruo7_0C327LwiQMWf28nuQjnUjCVDNHPEZ03vP0QyX235BiUf-mHc-jW4Asv5n1FZOMFqlZwuag0/w400-h300/GrandeArche.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Grande Arche de la Defense. It was designed to be a late-20th<br />century version of the Arc de Triomphe, meant to celebrate <br />humanitarian ideals rather than be the tribute to military victories<br /> that prompted construction of the Arc de Triomphe.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNaWzSSlQrWLIfllAEyRptXbX6mGVDc5K2KC4KXJIWHBJX_iZqvAEK2vHB3zhRg4A2BhLk2XFSRpGx9Njibn9JHUDMWTmMJWSMkk31dgihE1CT3cJSsLUSYNqWc9AcswWIntROlvqHXmPOLk4k0-hRF9EwDQYLhxa3KvtRNlTO8LZ-qWiof3-Rojq/s4080/LaDefenseEsplanade.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNaWzSSlQrWLIfllAEyRptXbX6mGVDc5K2KC4KXJIWHBJX_iZqvAEK2vHB3zhRg4A2BhLk2XFSRpGx9Njibn9JHUDMWTmMJWSMkk31dgihE1CT3cJSsLUSYNqWc9AcswWIntROlvqHXmPOLk4k0-hRF9EwDQYLhxa3KvtRNlTO8LZ-qWiof3-Rojq/w640-h480/LaDefenseEsplanade.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the perspective of the Grand Arch, looking down the esplanade, one can just barely see<br />the Arc de Triomphe in the distance. La Defense lies at the end of a 10-kilometer long "historical<br />axis" of Paris, hence the straight line to the Arc de Triomphe.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuEalfA7r6C5rXE4vr_Vz6kL1HeTFp7_QjMlLN71GJTi47WzQ0ZPOozUz-_bjvCcxN5aPpMCHwT2yuNc7Pa4X9TDfroAMGX-sBrxshPQ-ekczcGyot1kdOpa3G5ufd1XkeLCwxw41b_-Cyj8iI_uk1YxXXG1IUaIzOIx0yWVwCTwfZAgaxSCI5NfTq/s4080/LDHilton.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuEalfA7r6C5rXE4vr_Vz6kL1HeTFp7_QjMlLN71GJTi47WzQ0ZPOozUz-_bjvCcxN5aPpMCHwT2yuNc7Pa4X9TDfroAMGX-sBrxshPQ-ekczcGyot1kdOpa3G5ufd1XkeLCwxw41b_-Cyj8iI_uk1YxXXG1IUaIzOIx0yWVwCTwfZAgaxSCI5NfTq/w400-h300/LDHilton.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the shopping mall are the balconies for the very<br />modern Hilton Hotel.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>It was a bit of a relief to get back to historic Paris, where the scale of the buildings and the neighborhoods have a more "human" feel.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5P__w042sb3xjw-sFLeA35_aIZvMmV2ZHqLsJ7vyRgfDhe4HmxV89CKQNWY2_2tDWQMCPm5-r4u_3q8go8MBFqAkapokJWwYCTxi8TI5bJYouA8oQJCMmQo-cqK5WP8PA1EhhX5uKnEN_iS0P4yyxhs6OAX69XTfTS8BMXcLp2xifvS_xUSbbTxU7/w300-h400/20230609_212157.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Friday night walk around the port. Parisiens love<br />to picnic next to waterways in the evening, and the Arsenal<br />became quite a hotspot of conviviality. Mostly, we<br />just sat on our back deck and soaked in the atmosphere.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>We have lists of things we'd like to do while we're here, but we don't want to run ourselves ragged, so we'll see where things end up.</div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-86232253921788459272023-06-07T12:31:00.001-07:002023-12-28T03:21:18.176-08:00American Remembrances in France<p>By the time we got to the town of Chateau Thierry on Tuesday, May 30, we had mostly left Champagne vineyards and champagne tourism behind us. Chateau Thierry is about 60 miles to the northeast of Paris. A town has existed on the site since at least the late Roman era, but most of the older structures in the town were destroyed during various wars throughout the centuries. The more recent and notable battles were those that occurred during the Napoleonic Wars between France and Prussia and the Second Battle of the Marne in 1918. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7YxU3MotiVHzNcf__5aSsuS01L56hZ3-Tit7Oc7MEMX9AGSN6wsj21btw0QAObxWFkHXdwervB_nsS18ndot5r2fdRURJAB-ju65nr4jygwEgvadpARyN1lZ5Y5463UfSMA45jShMKYUR6Rm0blh_VTOzmKQhNdwvQGRp52RGUoOyikpBBgGB0mt/s7904/PanoramicCT.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1596" data-original-width="7904" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7YxU3MotiVHzNcf__5aSsuS01L56hZ3-Tit7Oc7MEMX9AGSN6wsj21btw0QAObxWFkHXdwervB_nsS18ndot5r2fdRURJAB-ju65nr4jygwEgvadpARyN1lZ5Y5463UfSMA45jShMKYUR6Rm0blh_VTOzmKQhNdwvQGRp52RGUoOyikpBBgGB0mt/w611-h124/PanoramicCT.JPG" width="611" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View over Chateau Thierry from the remains of the castle of Chateau Thierry. A castle was first<br />built on the hilltop site back in the early 700's. Not much remains today aside from some portions<br />of the 13th century ramparts. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaRN3kE63FlxAbhQ0BDFb_Lz1IvzLm4UX-Y8RPhN6op85uVPVD97RmuncgTH6rDkBjArqelbN9EqJXg1xWBZ3t9uoyY1n9p54F6d3uH1ECcROgeQjqnuXWm5TCDO7AmLDQp6-AR2u8IPhUdfo8vRcpqo6CTKUo-IdaA6k5LOqbI1N_7nDIibjLVLn/s2321/StairstoCastleCT.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1922" data-original-width="2321" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaRN3kE63FlxAbhQ0BDFb_Lz1IvzLm4UX-Y8RPhN6op85uVPVD97RmuncgTH6rDkBjArqelbN9EqJXg1xWBZ3t9uoyY1n9p54F6d3uH1ECcROgeQjqnuXWm5TCDO7AmLDQp6-AR2u8IPhUdfo8vRcpqo6CTKUo-IdaA6k5LOqbI1N_7nDIibjLVLn/w400-h331/StairstoCastleCT.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We took the shortcut up to the castle, which involved--of<br />course--<i>stairs!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VeTHoOWQ6gQm7R7gd6sZuYsqRlab1nxh9cSgKhAOCcHO8oHUm7Xjw77v8TXKAU4d5qYgezG27_n4bVZCpaOVmhu4m7xl8GYL1rsY1Ng7s6jPviKoBy71YWK4XWglGTJgqlPNqgnAW-Hnh-Qn4CgbxtzxOdiUZ04LzE1SJ_46MrPcft7QeQGRiyqV/s2371/ChateauWallsCT.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2371" data-original-width="1863" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VeTHoOWQ6gQm7R7gd6sZuYsqRlab1nxh9cSgKhAOCcHO8oHUm7Xjw77v8TXKAU4d5qYgezG27_n4bVZCpaOVmhu4m7xl8GYL1rsY1Ng7s6jPviKoBy71YWK4XWglGTJgqlPNqgnAW-Hnh-Qn4CgbxtzxOdiUZ04LzE1SJ_46MrPcft7QeQGRiyqV/w314-h400/ChateauWallsCT.JPG" width="314" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our reward for all the climbing was a great view<br />of the castle remains.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55ShYZKqeAdOZfP4oULHiZ95KdWCWPMBWUm5DyC_Ro3Q1tTTo1QbQ4P5sVYvHLLskT9Oc4DR7S77mKmn_xwV30xvcW9KPUPMbQa7sIAeYsSSuqK5TBdKpWLzjENuhJcpXWTuFIYlGletqTmRHb79UTNKz9nbUq5FlNze4N9nSPy5VMf_tik2R6exH/s2211/ViewFromCastleRuinsCT.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1862" data-original-width="2211" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55ShYZKqeAdOZfP4oULHiZ95KdWCWPMBWUm5DyC_Ro3Q1tTTo1QbQ4P5sVYvHLLskT9Oc4DR7S77mKmn_xwV30xvcW9KPUPMbQa7sIAeYsSSuqK5TBdKpWLzjENuhJcpXWTuFIYlGletqTmRHb79UTNKz9nbUq5FlNze4N9nSPy5VMf_tik2R6exH/w400-h336/ViewFromCastleRuinsCT.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view in the opposite direction, with the local church in the<br />near distance, and on a hill in the far distance, the <br />white Chateau-Thierry Monument.</td></tr></tbody></table> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMd3RfNPNptsV8zbD7jznVWhf-TZNT0vBTlRvwFOgBET7bboKYzYkwDQRpQffLsGRnGjmuy_ZX-YBKk_BLurytVSv0Jn2dGCSkysVJK3nH9h-SSMt3rauXqezLGuPGK0Agzh6wFAVuoYkSxsj3OwQ80KsizHYZMAmzgl4P3IVtY3cduc2FLt6NGN9g/s2624/LonClimbsStepsCT.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMd3RfNPNptsV8zbD7jznVWhf-TZNT0vBTlRvwFOgBET7bboKYzYkwDQRpQffLsGRnGjmuy_ZX-YBKk_BLurytVSv0Jn2dGCSkysVJK3nH9h-SSMt3rauXqezLGuPGK0Agzh6wFAVuoYkSxsj3OwQ80KsizHYZMAmzgl4P3IVtY3cduc2FLt6NGN9g/w300-h400/LonClimbsStepsCT.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lon starting to make his way up the steps.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbN42Ao68JuC7VxniWntq2nYVn6DjERwKJs29C8gZZshDQb6OzoKNQodR8Ifm3O1lL-23Wgq6yQvly_J5l2K6FIHvXR9mZdEEOLrj6mPthWtWEkUDkb-a6H3EB7a8fGHBJyYPqrvjsXjWWqYfnUaSEoVk_0PxweGjGNL2f6sm-fl5LmTIdmMdd9y2c/s2624/Pat_ChatThierry.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbN42Ao68JuC7VxniWntq2nYVn6DjERwKJs29C8gZZshDQb6OzoKNQodR8Ifm3O1lL-23Wgq6yQvly_J5l2K6FIHvXR9mZdEEOLrj6mPthWtWEkUDkb-a6H3EB7a8fGHBJyYPqrvjsXjWWqYfnUaSEoVk_0PxweGjGNL2f6sm-fl5LmTIdmMdd9y2c/w400-h300/Pat_ChatThierry.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the top of the city steps was the entry to one of the castle<br />towers, which contained even more steps.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Chateau Thierry also proudly proclaims itself as the birthplace of the French fabulist Jean de la Fontaine, who was also one of the most widely read French poets of the 17th century.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPF_CLUAgqxlGBwh990sxjwJeEsAQ02L4HJM0cUIIz6bCQJBHq5v3RQ_W40YUiJ0cjjC0FP42DMGs8b36XgjpcUVZ7NKRo_mEjACwT52wviSIr3gJyRztCCZc7xw1jYSriIWWeSK4prUbowQnW_zDbWgh6HdtfVrCAs85rChBeCbMzCIu-8FEDhae/s2624/JeanFontaineBirthplace.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPF_CLUAgqxlGBwh990sxjwJeEsAQ02L4HJM0cUIIz6bCQJBHq5v3RQ_W40YUiJ0cjjC0FP42DMGs8b36XgjpcUVZ7NKRo_mEjACwT52wviSIr3gJyRztCCZc7xw1jYSriIWWeSK4prUbowQnW_zDbWgh6HdtfVrCAs85rChBeCbMzCIu-8FEDhae/w400-h300/JeanFontaineBirthplace.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The birthplace of La Fontaine contains a well-regarded museum<br />that, unfortunately for us, was closed for renovations (until 2025).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>More important to us than this ancient history was the more modern history related to the First World War. The Battle of Chateau Thierry was fought in July 1918 and was one of the first actions of the American Expeditionary Forces under General John Pershing. It, along with the nearby Battle of Belleau Wood, was part of the Second Battle of the Marne, and a response to the last attempt by the German army to break through to Paris. The combined French and American forces were able to drive back the German offensive. The gratitude and recognition of the French for the American assistance is visible even today.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3tktOQKGM3dthhDz61g3l4NRZ3bsM5cMw_qYeC5W0yj0ypXsfAQusxBuQKqqDRSnX1vaUOFIEUopCQLSPy5COK0G-qwYrkTyJ5FBwDIdIomlqypK-84GKn8EV476uVrBlYV4QgHAaBwDaBO-BmNG1GUJjFKB4ZlFfG2qFWYHv-HNmbVs3DkbVyiz/s2624/MairieBanners.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3tktOQKGM3dthhDz61g3l4NRZ3bsM5cMw_qYeC5W0yj0ypXsfAQusxBuQKqqDRSnX1vaUOFIEUopCQLSPy5COK0G-qwYrkTyJ5FBwDIdIomlqypK-84GKn8EV476uVrBlYV4QgHAaBwDaBO-BmNG1GUJjFKB4ZlFfG2qFWYHv-HNmbVs3DkbVyiz/w300-h400/MairieBanners.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banners flying from the mayor's office building were<br />a mix of American and French flags.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuJYbjD1oBwi1I9X6rZXuFkTUSiyV88xZN_Os1MdWIDrwzdgf6Zj2L2SSPQbAEB6ZUliDtowmrYLbPSK-Qsh9pbN4sJBKC6V1ZIMwRuWABOjTDUjskZhHi5CTaZ8JFHoufBS0eOBPAbpAjEK2LcYsQAVD6MtDGZDVLWk5GxWPZfmYE8DwLbGFZKUS/s4080/AMericanMonumentBackCT.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2134" data-original-width="4080" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuJYbjD1oBwi1I9X6rZXuFkTUSiyV88xZN_Os1MdWIDrwzdgf6Zj2L2SSPQbAEB6ZUliDtowmrYLbPSK-Qsh9pbN4sJBKC6V1ZIMwRuWABOjTDUjskZhHi5CTaZ8JFHoufBS0eOBPAbpAjEK2LcYsQAVD6MtDGZDVLWk5GxWPZfmYE8DwLbGFZKUS/w640-h334/AMericanMonumentBackCT.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Chateau-Thierry Monument, built by the American Battle Monuments Commission<br />on a hilltop (Hill 204) on the outskirts of town, "commemorates the sacrifices and <br />achievements of American and French fighting men before and during the Aisne-Marne and<br />Aisne-Oise offensives." </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNp6vOG5vKgtjsLve0Nij8ZEnsU3ZTtq4_YL5Z-nuHUbqVl1OmwisUE0yFxoQc-EAAt7tOf6cLbVLpkp0NyxhxlXWn-5HzIbReV6np0YuskYNnfTh5puZB3z5Ac2YcZjYT1wYp2FjaJQTFk7cTfNFE5580RZRn5MY44907ULCGtTzKrZckKVxWdNeg/s4080/CTPoster.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNp6vOG5vKgtjsLve0Nij8ZEnsU3ZTtq4_YL5Z-nuHUbqVl1OmwisUE0yFxoQc-EAAt7tOf6cLbVLpkp0NyxhxlXWn-5HzIbReV6np0YuskYNnfTh5puZB3z5Ac2YcZjYT1wYp2FjaJQTFk7cTfNFE5580RZRn5MY44907ULCGtTzKrZckKVxWdNeg/w300-h400/CTPoster.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The monument contained a small, but very<br />nice, museum.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtSj4vRkoqpDePJiXq-5hafd5FSz0p2TauhjeAnkXVBO5o53nmYDJBnIu1xKWsvlHfX3ZlkTRr6yJmAU1zdr62K_pgED-DiEMJZE2AeRdH_NIewkZc8VnPGXvK_9BewdRLPFfM4JaVs21ZN_97UIenHsaALjLbP1RtHKPrE_jEtdNOGvOCaN412_-/s4061/LonFrontofAmerMonumentCT.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2675" data-original-width="4061" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtSj4vRkoqpDePJiXq-5hafd5FSz0p2TauhjeAnkXVBO5o53nmYDJBnIu1xKWsvlHfX3ZlkTRr6yJmAU1zdr62K_pgED-DiEMJZE2AeRdH_NIewkZc8VnPGXvK_9BewdRLPFfM4JaVs21ZN_97UIenHsaALjLbP1RtHKPrE_jEtdNOGvOCaN412_-/w640-h422/LonFrontofAmerMonumentCT.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figures depicting the unity of the United States and France. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>We left Chateau Thierry on Thursday, June 1, and our subsequent two stops were near quiet, country villages.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCq3Jm7JTyai9ZZ4uKnvFa6AHunAqyYUzbQANQm4Ky0ThXmFyJKXsommY1IVg2fTxSUCkOmNJcO_dMFE9Bf4piSAra9bY78CtD_-ErbZ5ClqqjCTCxkURtd_n3ZMrCOg3HaasqTxqPcDSmPsxUMAp1VmmCWJEDKgsPjN66jAfu5jPCJNNrtei3fAY/s2624/ChurchIlesLesMeldeuses.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCq3Jm7JTyai9ZZ4uKnvFa6AHunAqyYUzbQANQm4Ky0ThXmFyJKXsommY1IVg2fTxSUCkOmNJcO_dMFE9Bf4piSAra9bY78CtD_-ErbZ5ClqqjCTCxkURtd_n3ZMrCOg3HaasqTxqPcDSmPsxUMAp1VmmCWJEDKgsPjN66jAfu5jPCJNNrtei3fAY/w400-h300/ChurchIlesLesMeldeuses.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No cathedral in Iles les Meldeuses, just a small 12th century<br />Romanesque church.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwqRXRAyUS0jJnq4yqreNkjMO_7Jsnfl96OLaMl1j2iSt-v0-EUZAw6bxZyVnuibnx5B4LECofVKbyrqge31SKQOPSifL3Jkfo2dCp3ZmGRbEKUT0kX-80xIS8gArbPO93r-RU8ZeG7nfi-dBNwRJ5FjDN3SqT3xtR0zXyO_DmeoePrK6-WgmCIia/s2624/EArlyMorning.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwqRXRAyUS0jJnq4yqreNkjMO_7Jsnfl96OLaMl1j2iSt-v0-EUZAw6bxZyVnuibnx5B4LECofVKbyrqge31SKQOPSifL3Jkfo2dCp3ZmGRbEKUT0kX-80xIS8gArbPO93r-RU8ZeG7nfi-dBNwRJ5FjDN3SqT3xtR0zXyO_DmeoePrK6-WgmCIia/w400-h300/EArlyMorning.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dawn on a slightly foggy Marne River. Given that sunrise<br />is about 5:50 a.m., this is proof positive that Lon gets<br />up <i>waaay </i>too early.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9S9awvqMYc-D9MjXDLkhl5Zew-6OovBR4zQqnfLS4_gxxrXW5V78LAxzSG9JxyQUqzTTMGUttS8qY1Qy3ZSIFaZaY5eb2e2OqDz0j1UaTvSEE2bv0u7p-OKQW8AmFMZlTkBpf7e_hNlN5cLZ7liZ9DSWsvGJVi3GYbcKJm9VM2dGIGNX35-k9oOs/s1815/OldDivingPlatform.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1492" data-original-width="1815" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9S9awvqMYc-D9MjXDLkhl5Zew-6OovBR4zQqnfLS4_gxxrXW5V78LAxzSG9JxyQUqzTTMGUttS8qY1Qy3ZSIFaZaY5eb2e2OqDz0j1UaTvSEE2bv0u7p-OKQW8AmFMZlTkBpf7e_hNlN5cLZ7liZ9DSWsvGJVi3GYbcKJm9VM2dGIGNX35-k9oOs/w400-h329/OldDivingPlatform.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cruising curiosities: a now-abandoned diving platform<br />along the Marne.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />On Saturday, June 3, we pulled into another relatively large town, Meaux (pronounced "Mo"). Meaux was delightful on several levels. From a boating perspective, we loved that they had a halte nautique with large pontoons (docks) that could accommodate a boat our size, and that had electricity and water (temporarily free!). <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-BAnTsjYrhmk24-lDXZMCD-EeuiMr8hv4yiqBQF0LKyoP_qfiW5rQS8tnLR2THtZpsx0BATTodEX2KBxF1WOQJkXY6jwJ5xkel3vRm-VdKGj5NXarn6DDR_VgZjbwTqA5-i4CG6_riVM8BmuB1mW5JrRw7rmxUg5p5CXkZD7xq5zh0MUspQT-cmQ/s2567/ViewFromBoatMeaux.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1249" data-original-width="2567" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-BAnTsjYrhmk24-lDXZMCD-EeuiMr8hv4yiqBQF0LKyoP_qfiW5rQS8tnLR2THtZpsx0BATTodEX2KBxF1WOQJkXY6jwJ5xkel3vRm-VdKGj5NXarn6DDR_VgZjbwTqA5-i4CG6_riVM8BmuB1mW5JrRw7rmxUg5p5CXkZD7xq5zh0MUspQT-cmQ/w640-h312/ViewFromBoatMeaux.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our mooring in Meaux.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbq9QxCS35UvEvRO2FIBb8JSTWgBYZs8kyYafqurACSy7mzH8BeyS6qEWUiK3xgej16lKm5zZ_V6Dnwfb-K1I06PBx71wJ2pkb-LLV_oquimPwD5_q_iM3jzZPJA1adCwXwUT_6mXIw0tnzz-hRzqHVhl6_zE97ddiMHbt4Mq51FRg2X8xshIyrs_V/s2624/swans.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbq9QxCS35UvEvRO2FIBb8JSTWgBYZs8kyYafqurACSy7mzH8BeyS6qEWUiK3xgej16lKm5zZ_V6Dnwfb-K1I06PBx71wJ2pkb-LLV_oquimPwD5_q_iM3jzZPJA1adCwXwUT_6mXIw0tnzz-hRzqHVhl6_zE97ddiMHbt4Mq51FRg2X8xshIyrs_V/w400-h300/swans.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little closer to the boat, we got to enjoy this family of <br />swans as a reminder of new life in the spring season.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>From a tourism perspective we were pleased that, on Saturday night, we were able to attend a free concert in the cathedral--with vocal and instrumental ensembles--of music of Johann Michael Haydn, and Sunday was "free entry to the local museums" day because it was the first Sunday of the month. And of course, we had to partake of the usual "looking around" at the local significant sites.</div><div><br /></div><div>Meaux had a lovely gothic cathedral, with much of the building construction taking place from the 12th to the 16th centuries.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6wkBbm6DnWpoIjWWKk4OTIppSJp00CcXe_hQu001PjUZJjQbHcTbCEhwWdKUHsL8Dbw1-JobaLOsU2YhkaiGUUmpivJ8nq5zYleTuGkeWAXIN1j0mdLKnWEHcMQdavCGY0VsZHquPl4fimcDBhTWFTVIZ-0X4I6310CNx5nCGilfNJBw1S7h9lw9/s2224/NoHeadsMeaux.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2224" data-original-width="1588" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6wkBbm6DnWpoIjWWKk4OTIppSJp00CcXe_hQu001PjUZJjQbHcTbCEhwWdKUHsL8Dbw1-JobaLOsU2YhkaiGUUmpivJ8nq5zYleTuGkeWAXIN1j0mdLKnWEHcMQdavCGY0VsZHquPl4fimcDBhTWFTVIZ-0X4I6310CNx5nCGilfNJBw1S7h9lw9/w285-h400/NoHeadsMeaux.JPG" width="285" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most of the holy figures surrounding the south porch<br />entrance to the Cathedrale St Etienne "lost their heads"<br /> in the 1500's during the Wars of Religion.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6esx6MILDdshKkM6zj7PUEEjFlqff6S3WlYbskWME0TLa4eVSefSbvOXEqdRMn4OXcQXRZY3AY-twB6IT3HdtEda1lwqFd01UlmMWzp1t3BOim2YIVmjV4WZfUtZ3o2NVjAjXU_UckO-wqc4XHHBAdGHwNSgvTCkoqSKFy5uuCZEw6eOEwViz7ADD/s2624/GardenMeaux.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6esx6MILDdshKkM6zj7PUEEjFlqff6S3WlYbskWME0TLa4eVSefSbvOXEqdRMn4OXcQXRZY3AY-twB6IT3HdtEda1lwqFd01UlmMWzp1t3BOim2YIVmjV4WZfUtZ3o2NVjAjXU_UckO-wqc4XHHBAdGHwNSgvTCkoqSKFy5uuCZEw6eOEwViz7ADD/w400-h300/GardenMeaux.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lovely Bossuet Garden (named after the most famous of <br />the bishops of Meaux) behind the Episcopal Palace.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPXvIgZZuq590hoHwzvUWenEEdlubGTxTMJU55sHo1f679x2UDx3TWeipZrN1WiuokJ4mrL1C8IDPuWqpSaEwPdUOKr3u9hX7PHg2njAsardpqlaBSMOoSUKro1DjfYRzKplrufDjjjMuejoH4Z0VnqVy8lf1HUESN5sWcKr_3kbzmlDge5sw3QTf/s2624/CathedralChapelMeaux.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPXvIgZZuq590hoHwzvUWenEEdlubGTxTMJU55sHo1f679x2UDx3TWeipZrN1WiuokJ4mrL1C8IDPuWqpSaEwPdUOKr3u9hX7PHg2njAsardpqlaBSMOoSUKro1DjfYRzKplrufDjjjMuejoH4Z0VnqVy8lf1HUESN5sWcKr_3kbzmlDge5sw3QTf/w400-h300/CathedralChapelMeaux.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We loved the staircase of this building, and the connection to the <br />cathedral by a timbered walkway.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTEYSHVCg6Ird1cnOWSBIM_Nz-XScEP1yTK__WCG911kQ2SQCgI87-owuO7ZmHpmQYAcII2XwkvCdqiiOzduYHl3mGWja3Ra6YTF2T-oD2UsZj337N9Aluwvivcu2IlyIN3bm2ENVKkHWMJgZ0E9B0a_KhPoGJHoNyn17SSyVTpr6DduBzsZ8RXdj/s2624/CathedPalaceGardenMeaux.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuTEYSHVCg6Ird1cnOWSBIM_Nz-XScEP1yTK__WCG911kQ2SQCgI87-owuO7ZmHpmQYAcII2XwkvCdqiiOzduYHl3mGWja3Ra6YTF2T-oD2UsZj337N9Aluwvivcu2IlyIN3bm2ENVKkHWMJgZ0E9B0a_KhPoGJHoNyn17SSyVTpr6DduBzsZ8RXdj/w400-h300/CathedPalaceGardenMeaux.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Episcopal Palace, and behind it the cathedral.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yPWq8eNDIrhmBuRLOBI6QX8LGmami6vsSt3N3dU20twEfvsrylk89KfBZ6OQcH9m2T3tujVYwm7GUJBz80DgpFBm7LHg1FVzOEFR6K1az14ycoDduWFtSpW01WEp2e-HNOEGHBe5jlt8ulSQkc5Kjue8ZJRcohKEHZNa4h7s08aG0C6w194XIABm/s2027/ConcertMeaux%20-%20Copy.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="2027" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yPWq8eNDIrhmBuRLOBI6QX8LGmami6vsSt3N3dU20twEfvsrylk89KfBZ6OQcH9m2T3tujVYwm7GUJBz80DgpFBm7LHg1FVzOEFR6K1az14ycoDduWFtSpW01WEp2e-HNOEGHBe5jlt8ulSQkc5Kjue8ZJRcohKEHZNa4h7s08aG0C6w194XIABm/w640-h466/ConcertMeaux%20-%20Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The performance of "Missa Sancti Aloysii" in the magnificent interior of the cathedral.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dUWZDSKSAsgcb0suPUgLOnBem3CWqmP-y5j1BJdWBE1ODkmcd1Occnoc2Gmefe46P3904YmURHXyGvnskCXbBbr5eYb266jQJsPXsZ0z0lSro4xBjBD9qWIK2od3aW6GsKf7JiD_x-JWR4dr4wU30g9aLyWUiiGRBf6lF2f6XoLxU8b-BBX44Ffw/s2624/LonDinnerMeaux%20-%20Copy.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dUWZDSKSAsgcb0suPUgLOnBem3CWqmP-y5j1BJdWBE1ODkmcd1Occnoc2Gmefe46P3904YmURHXyGvnskCXbBbr5eYb266jQJsPXsZ0z0lSro4xBjBD9qWIK2od3aW6GsKf7JiD_x-JWR4dr4wU30g9aLyWUiiGRBf6lF2f6XoLxU8b-BBX44Ffw/w300-h400/LonDinnerMeaux%20-%20Copy.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We enjoyed an Italian dinner in the plaza by the west <br /> facade of the cathedral prior to the concert.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Vya4IpGWcXwq2SGJ6m8KDdzDyDx0APwhCiHxeAf8GG5ahw9QoUyOq3gcwzYr3Fi_JT8oQJj4itxzJWtfwfGviDYNvJs5TGHX_m_3NMJMEpEWmcY1imWAk7fZyChCxPgx5GolP9kj4eHpyUs1lxs_1cxvzCcghGv2HxoWpowKhdPtD3ChGCsLHpCy/s2624/RampartsMeaux.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Vya4IpGWcXwq2SGJ6m8KDdzDyDx0APwhCiHxeAf8GG5ahw9QoUyOq3gcwzYr3Fi_JT8oQJj4itxzJWtfwfGviDYNvJs5TGHX_m_3NMJMEpEWmcY1imWAk7fZyChCxPgx5GolP9kj4eHpyUs1lxs_1cxvzCcghGv2HxoWpowKhdPtD3ChGCsLHpCy/w400-h300/RampartsMeaux.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boundary to the rear of the Bossuet Gardens was a remnant of<br />a Gallo-Roman fortification wall, with towers added in the 15th C. </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Sorry to say, on Sunday we didn't take advantage of our free museum entries to visit the "cheese museum" dedicated to the story of the special Brie de Meaux cheese, but we did go to the "Musee de la Grande Guerre". The museum opened on Armistice Day in 2011 and is Europe's largest museum dedicated entirely to the First World War. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA511eL5b6Lo0FCABlErVRSe4FrwkleSx3a1OwqKd7Fc9DArtZgUc9lL1OOtPgha5H7PEZiiMIgfXK2KsbqY7Ck0DMwYMFwm6bvgX27oHvKA7XUasp-gVg10rHzFIt8wYnxKKPtkUa7h10jK_j2tOvOcw9M3xU8jxv3WWrAfT3KLi8fs13u2pVjMgU/s4080/WWIMuseumExt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1774" data-original-width="4080" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA511eL5b6Lo0FCABlErVRSe4FrwkleSx3a1OwqKd7Fc9DArtZgUc9lL1OOtPgha5H7PEZiiMIgfXK2KsbqY7Ck0DMwYMFwm6bvgX27oHvKA7XUasp-gVg10rHzFIt8wYnxKKPtkUa7h10jK_j2tOvOcw9M3xU8jxv3WWrAfT3KLi8fs13u2pVjMgU/w640-h278/WWIMuseumExt.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The museum has a modern architectural design. And it <u>was</u> large. Normally, we "run out of steam"<br />pretty quickly when going through museums, but this one was really well done and provided<br />information in multiple ways that made it accessible and not overwhelming.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2zt-W5nJMNT1E4BK78tqRZLUqsXg6iiosAlRhzwEBYvttLWSXw0az8_IdFzNOiyF6WiD9vqENVDv11Ccllaz2C7av8wgyvaI-qaYhITysVn9Rb3Nml71QSPLHn-lmkNldG3pqNRpihZ6AYJtbO4YueYfUi7Z-_A8adigzM692GyOXapM9IaKvVkn/s1960/CommTruck.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="1577" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2zt-W5nJMNT1E4BK78tqRZLUqsXg6iiosAlRhzwEBYvttLWSXw0az8_IdFzNOiyF6WiD9vqENVDv11Ccllaz2C7av8wgyvaI-qaYhITysVn9Rb3Nml71QSPLHn-lmkNldG3pqNRpihZ6AYJtbO4YueYfUi7Z-_A8adigzM692GyOXapM9IaKvVkn/w321-h400/CommTruck.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="321" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A WWI communication truck--complete with<br />the pigeons that carried the messages.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KMussDV-j2KJvIP41Xkc0MBbr5_e7ZnO1NQV6339vVMSdRZvnlYQSar3huwelrPYT8rf2t03XDLOdFWAAIFgHWHL7karWNzjbJuizlEenUpfQjYDIoNkhqDfWZuLK0zPMB8cR7v1e03dmHzVMnMckoA3JoGgXu2f7_q_HbBXmpMB452Fbl3xLaEc/s2624/MuseumEntryMeaux.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="2624" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KMussDV-j2KJvIP41Xkc0MBbr5_e7ZnO1NQV6339vVMSdRZvnlYQSar3huwelrPYT8rf2t03XDLOdFWAAIFgHWHL7karWNzjbJuizlEenUpfQjYDIoNkhqDfWZuLK0zPMB8cR7v1e03dmHzVMnMckoA3JoGgXu2f7_q_HbBXmpMB452Fbl3xLaEc/w400-h226/MuseumEntryMeaux.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVnK4aP1T7WOYAu_J-8zSpDM737QEZlps7iCBbb7JOpsKF1iGDDnZ6JS5OeG4hwjQWkt8wufIdIf9jCwrWH5HFhiFj6QhGM_aUxGTGUGp_2X4x138x1JEJR1HmDeNsJkywyO55Ic5B6t_PmuB25wMV4A7oEicEqrAWv8y1elTy2e002iRvyocTU0x/s2624/P1040102.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="1968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVnK4aP1T7WOYAu_J-8zSpDM737QEZlps7iCBbb7JOpsKF1iGDDnZ6JS5OeG4hwjQWkt8wufIdIf9jCwrWH5HFhiFj6QhGM_aUxGTGUGp_2X4x138x1JEJR1HmDeNsJkywyO55Ic5B6t_PmuB25wMV4A7oEicEqrAWv8y1elTy2e002iRvyocTU0x/w300-h400/P1040102.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Immediately adjacent to the museum was this statue<br />known as "The American Monument." It's currently under<br />repair due to damage from a lightning strike in 2021.<br /> It was designed by an American sculptor and given as a<br />gift by the U.S. to France in honor of the fallen<br />soldiers of the First Battle of the Marne.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We are very nearly in Paris at this point. Meaux is only about 30 miles from Paris, and is already in the outermost of the Paris transportation zones. Another two days of cruising will complete the Marne River portion of our cruising itinerary. We're looking forward to our 3 weeks in the big city.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-21015137746773678562023-06-06T07:14:00.000-07:002023-06-06T07:14:26.721-07:00We're in Paris!<p>This is a little out of order, as we haven't yet posted anything about our last few days on the Marne, but we arrived at Port de Plaisance de Paris Arsenal early this afternoon and we're thrilled and excited to be here!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQyCCnd6TyFIwN7F7HtxZB2LsPVI3ScaIMCxfZ0BXfuihGzgp6gFJXx2aEeHq9pY40uQRGuo1BjgeTn5QgMT8U7AWAkQOAiySvwkW5OquPmVzMe8Rppm54zWiRPeA7sEciRtDIdL3z3ADCyjy32iUL1oQ2SZ1UK8SH6s5JYmhKyN_VFadfJkyPPX8/s1921/ArsenalArrivalL-P.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="1921" height="517" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQyCCnd6TyFIwN7F7HtxZB2LsPVI3ScaIMCxfZ0BXfuihGzgp6gFJXx2aEeHq9pY40uQRGuo1BjgeTn5QgMT8U7AWAkQOAiySvwkW5OquPmVzMe8Rppm54zWiRPeA7sEciRtDIdL3z3ADCyjy32iUL1oQ2SZ1UK8SH6s5JYmhKyN_VFadfJkyPPX8/w640-h517/ArsenalArrivalL-P.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy, happy, happy to be in Paris. We are at the bow of CARIB, in a <br />temporary mooring for a couple of days because we arrived early. If it<br />weren't so small in the photo, the statue at the Place de Bastille <br />would be more visible in the distance just to the right of Pat.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Maybe it's safer to have "aspirations" rather than plans, because our initial aspirations for our cruising season have worked out the way we'd hoped. Our early arrival is also a plus, because shifting our 3-week stay in Paris by a few days should make our cruise to Auxerre more relaxed when we leave Paris toward the end of the month.<div><br /></div><div>And now, back to our regularly scheduled "program".</div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2583493382318239802.post-6538016523095277402023-06-01T14:14:00.000-07:002023-11-13T09:05:09.297-08:00Champagne Valley<p>All champagne, all the time--at least that's what it often felt like as we continued to make our way down the Canal Lateral a la Marne, and then the Marne River. Bisseuil, Mareuil-sur-Ay, Cumieres, and Dormans were all small-village overnight stops for us after we left Chalons-en-Champagne, and all had champagne houses to a greater or lesser degree. This was true as well for Ay, Epernay, and Hautvillers, towns and villages to which we made cycling excursions. Champagne is a source of cultural pride for the French, and in July 2015 the "Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars" were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as a "living cultural landscape". A whole tourism industry has developed around champagne.</p><p>Champagne is sparkling wine, the "sparkles" produced as a result of a 2nd fermentation in the production process. But not all sparkling wine is Champagne (with a capital "C"). Many legal structures reserve the word "Champagne" exclusively for sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France. It is produced under a strict set of rules and regulations that specify everything from grapes that may be used, to pressing techniques, to soils the vines may be planted in, and on and on. </p><p>On the day we left Chalons-en-Champagne we passed the junction with the Canal de l'Aisne a la Marne and continued cruising west on the Canal Lateral a la Marne, stopping for the evening in the small village of Bisseuil before continuing on the next day to Mareuil-sur-Ay. About this time, we started seeing vineyards on the hillsides surrounding the waterway.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIK0UHkQ4BwUi0cm1-zZcKcN9Hx0lhNNAIfBhWb45Pwj756PM5-oi8AUvOUu-1ID-JvrUnfyXBGpBJGNf1s6j2c7B4yXWWgVkFr2_00YaW5NClwuASDsUxxGlFvzZrzEIIjPIuLMYw28Qbh7dAes3KnP1TOtpGGhiZjEYDljCsDwNHjKvV5srajkS6/s2624/ChalkCliffs.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIK0UHkQ4BwUi0cm1-zZcKcN9Hx0lhNNAIfBhWb45Pwj756PM5-oi8AUvOUu-1ID-JvrUnfyXBGpBJGNf1s6j2c7B4yXWWgVkFr2_00YaW5NClwuASDsUxxGlFvzZrzEIIjPIuLMYw28Qbh7dAes3KnP1TOtpGGhiZjEYDljCsDwNHjKvV5srajkS6/w400-h300/ChalkCliffs.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The soil in the area is chalky limestone, which drains well and<br />provides the grape vines with excellent growing conditions.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGqMDRr49DavoTr4k8LtnhW6XldswV7-EkEWMm7SLyDDWbwQXb6gnPhcOLA8qo7xQ2vutuZYMiUHMj7NzhEHGBsd-bb0fhHWC57xIk0GVyqSn0yPMHiBzfYEegd8A4WiQkVQLTHQ6-zDk9zkGUVTXyGLkOn9jtIvsxMByjUkHRo57sR27M2mdctKj/s4080/Moored%20in%20Maruiel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1532" data-original-width="4080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGqMDRr49DavoTr4k8LtnhW6XldswV7-EkEWMm7SLyDDWbwQXb6gnPhcOLA8qo7xQ2vutuZYMiUHMj7NzhEHGBsd-bb0fhHWC57xIk0GVyqSn0yPMHiBzfYEegd8A4WiQkVQLTHQ6-zDk9zkGUVTXyGLkOn9jtIvsxMByjUkHRo57sR27M2mdctKj/w640-h240/Moored%20in%20Maruiel.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C.A.R.I.B. III (at left) moored in front of a residential barge in Mareuil-sur-Ay.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9slhik4qQkw9ra6FusR7fNDT1g7BZM2u7IhYbghMDdb2fVbffTkMtiIFA5JKfTouBcw_UX27KIq6PXmNpSD3wbFGrYlObWOyPmWBdf4wDJlsK43e5Hbmu0L_y_kPY_9IzDKb8XHXgM0WhSM6M53V-BZTBbpz2zUs-A8W9x-IlWR8Y3t38RsoiuaAd/s3376/Jonathan-Jeannie_Aleau.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3376" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9slhik4qQkw9ra6FusR7fNDT1g7BZM2u7IhYbghMDdb2fVbffTkMtiIFA5JKfTouBcw_UX27KIq6PXmNpSD3wbFGrYlObWOyPmWBdf4wDJlsK43e5Hbmu0L_y_kPY_9IzDKb8XHXgM0WhSM6M53V-BZTBbpz2zUs-A8W9x-IlWR8Y3t38RsoiuaAd/w363-h400/Jonathan-Jeannie_Aleau.jpg" width="363" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We stayed two nights in Mareuil-sur-Ay, and on our full day<br />there, who should cruise into town but former port neighbors of<br /> ours (in 2021) in Port Royal, Auxonne. We returned from a day out to<br /> find Canadians (but now living in France) Jonathan and Jeannie<br />rafted next to us on their barge Aleau.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-5FlstXz2cmnqpOqGawGFogG3viBHWUuHOgmO6dOccpN0K54dTCgWOSva8bPBTCwqXQ3oOU-JtSzPZ5Q9bdbSBT_EjP28C3VDDFQY8SRakBWZR70uM6sDJxq_oT4Vbm9tE5xvBQqVt3-QyA2pitf22dobDAgPCn0pv1j-P9M2pxV7VTPqzalI4ZK/s2586/LPOverlookMareuil.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1826" data-original-width="2586" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-5FlstXz2cmnqpOqGawGFogG3viBHWUuHOgmO6dOccpN0K54dTCgWOSva8bPBTCwqXQ3oOU-JtSzPZ5Q9bdbSBT_EjP28C3VDDFQY8SRakBWZR70uM6sDJxq_oT4Vbm9tE5xvBQqVt3-QyA2pitf22dobDAgPCn0pv1j-P9M2pxV7VTPqzalI4ZK/w400-h283/LPOverlookMareuil.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer has arrived. On a lovely sunny day, we cycled up into<br />the vineyards to see the village of Mareuil from the perspective<br /> of the Notre Dame Du Gruguet monument. This was a statue of the Virgin <br />Mary placed on the hilltop by the town in thanks for being<br /> spared the bombardments of 1944, and the safe return<br /> of their prisoners of war.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHDAA7q77pGo_LPgNPE-2yhB9-0yYdBt0zheVz102Rd8BYC8T92SwMRA52ZiaCswEp-6WiXXCVgiLJ1gg9droRj6Oo3vjkWU6C9qrKxpp4rNO_nKAOoSz7pZ_MOH8oNyHz3g0rANt4bwU-sC0dJvEKl2IOmh-Dw-fiHZTmJFd9-9EMUPdCPVlr7Fk/s6144/MarneMareuilPanorama.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="6144" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHDAA7q77pGo_LPgNPE-2yhB9-0yYdBt0zheVz102Rd8BYC8T92SwMRA52ZiaCswEp-6WiXXCVgiLJ1gg9droRj6Oo3vjkWU6C9qrKxpp4rNO_nKAOoSz7pZ_MOH8oNyHz3g0rANt4bwU-sC0dJvEKl2IOmh-Dw-fiHZTmJFd9-9EMUPdCPVlr7Fk/w640-h146/MarneMareuilPanorama.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A panoramic view of the Marne valley, Margeuil-sur-Ay, and the vineyards.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Margeuil was a great base from which to cycle to two other towns in the near vicinity, Ay and Epernay. Ay, despite being of very modest size (between 5 and 6 thousand residents), had at least 2 dozen champagne houses within its borders. It was also the birthplace of Rene Lalique, the founding jeweler and glassmaker of the luxury French brand "Lalique."</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07EFimtuc8QTazMVfgxbcF_yxF94LWjTkN495JdlPWp_pbWWZHjx-zsX1z2L_2SB0uV2aX9Mn1PS7CSuErHg2zjIY7qF2nFRVWESgdqm-SLwSv86iDS4S-mfAE8l3c4WHFo2O_zf-4QYlDFXVD-_OsfVM9ySXPFO03C5FLANNTA3xoK-90bgJjq_5/s4080/ChampagneHouseAy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07EFimtuc8QTazMVfgxbcF_yxF94LWjTkN495JdlPWp_pbWWZHjx-zsX1z2L_2SB0uV2aX9Mn1PS7CSuErHg2zjIY7qF2nFRVWESgdqm-SLwSv86iDS4S-mfAE8l3c4WHFo2O_zf-4QYlDFXVD-_OsfVM9ySXPFO03C5FLANNTA3xoK-90bgJjq_5/w400-h300/ChampagneHouseAy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tourist office in Ay supplied us with a "discover Lalique"<br />walking tour. It was interesting in its way, but it almost seemed as though<br />its real purpose was to get us to walk past all of the local champagne houses.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><span><!--more--></span><span><!--more--></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwbRxImeBhfhvXQn0BrTgG9G7rl0Q83xr9bZlUQ6FGZ2hqfPgdF-UhvuYcU2RmaSZLBw1g3d-lXf8_y95mJgY2rrWqCq6SR1rs-VEP_cleXqasb5gXDwn7y58niXsCVZSqgN_OWJRI2A2DRr_p32yMjyzV2dVe3uZyg0xvABRsRuR_wRLGTa3YH9N/s4080/PressHenryIVAy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwbRxImeBhfhvXQn0BrTgG9G7rl0Q83xr9bZlUQ6FGZ2hqfPgdF-UhvuYcU2RmaSZLBw1g3d-lXf8_y95mJgY2rrWqCq6SR1rs-VEP_cleXqasb5gXDwn7y58niXsCVZSqgN_OWJRI2A2DRr_p32yMjyzV2dVe3uZyg0xvABRsRuR_wRLGTa3YH9N/w300-h400/PressHenryIVAy.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ay had quite a few timbered houses, including this one<br />that is thought to have been the press house of King<br />Henry IV of France, who loved Ay wines.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span>Epernay is a much larger town of about 30,000 people, and is all about champagne. Although a town has been in the area for centuries, it's been damaged and rebuilt so many times over the years that there isn't much in the town that is particularly old, just bits and pieces. It is, however, famous for its "Avenue de Champagne", which features the leading champagne manufacturers.</span><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO881sxrRgjb0vzCrOSVtUQcfMOu5y_ITL6el5MmM6KS0clAxmDZi3FFP7nf-oba6A1MzSXZB3CXGQvypuvUO0ZEb70d9WEYPkt9xZHn3-3Mx8XZ2DaEbU_evlM1La9wpmLnsRp5avQ8wqqr8EbRvSY8JYEH7aY7zOkT7N7Njv_9awRWyeh_AfuDNn/s4080/EpernayButton.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO881sxrRgjb0vzCrOSVtUQcfMOu5y_ITL6el5MmM6KS0clAxmDZi3FFP7nf-oba6A1MzSXZB3CXGQvypuvUO0ZEb70d9WEYPkt9xZHn3-3Mx8XZ2DaEbU_evlM1La9wpmLnsRp5avQ8wqqr8EbRvSY8JYEH7aY7zOkT7N7Njv_9awRWyeh_AfuDNn/w400-h300/EpernayButton.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Epernay calls itself the "Capitol of Champagne".<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3OT1uLK9VoEiDn6GPbLkdZF-9nZnJt7ZngwQSl9V-C0lek11b-gvd78QEn4HvCIIn-UgDzwDzvrDRilBPBZGJ6w9koR6mKPSNZwLbCriDqBpVoHfpwZaLnwY2dXxzwMGuhUpvrrMaQHA_4Xw0ClV7ZbaZmqvlRV_ozFSn6wxJA_iia-Fn9ulnFH6/s4073/ChamHouseEpernay2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2568" data-original-width="4073" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3OT1uLK9VoEiDn6GPbLkdZF-9nZnJt7ZngwQSl9V-C0lek11b-gvd78QEn4HvCIIn-UgDzwDzvrDRilBPBZGJ6w9koR6mKPSNZwLbCriDqBpVoHfpwZaLnwY2dXxzwMGuhUpvrrMaQHA_4Xw0ClV7ZbaZmqvlRV_ozFSn6wxJA_iia-Fn9ulnFH6/w400-h253/ChamHouseEpernay2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just one of the many champagne houses along the "Avenue de<br />Champagne." The manufacturers say that champagne is expensive<br />because of the double fermentation process, but I tend to think<br />that more than a little bit of the price is due to the lavish<br />houses and the luxury branding.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOfo1-Y5726NtD4tyXg6OKOpIcnYljoPlDV7pfQOAlMzwXobc33fA11rz-HWecfLWyRgqdghGBFOY7mH8rr1jRtHuR5EIqGhF7x-kmwj_2OC7WEqN-sc_Vj30K3nJ7jZFAdjOnvbYpsgZs-5x2t-h5bmrtduBgznMU8hExuXiQbW__TVnYIuf9f_2/s4080/ChampagneHouseEpernay1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2176" data-original-width="4080" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOfo1-Y5726NtD4tyXg6OKOpIcnYljoPlDV7pfQOAlMzwXobc33fA11rz-HWecfLWyRgqdghGBFOY7mH8rr1jRtHuR5EIqGhF7x-kmwj_2OC7WEqN-sc_Vj30K3nJ7jZFAdjOnvbYpsgZs-5x2t-h5bmrtduBgznMU8hExuXiQbW__TVnYIuf9f_2/w400-h214/ChampagneHouseEpernay1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another champagne house. Champagne tastings<br /> were on offer everywhere we looked.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvN4J6PPU2uQFVlLYvjKdd3Y5U_KlSM1z6BQcqM3TdrLKYGS3TLRmv7vo9kYUMrytHHsPtIPvwY6FspMcKbbiFtak90lKImTIsIJhDWJnxKkMytKAuXb7RXZHzyZyC92iNb7T0KsIt-HV5pzTAdzAtIaDpnUGHyyGs05KSkeScgDvPvJPWWDRKwzw/s4080/CoveredMarketEpernay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvN4J6PPU2uQFVlLYvjKdd3Y5U_KlSM1z6BQcqM3TdrLKYGS3TLRmv7vo9kYUMrytHHsPtIPvwY6FspMcKbbiFtak90lKImTIsIJhDWJnxKkMytKAuXb7RXZHzyZyC92iNb7T0KsIt-HV5pzTAdzAtIaDpnUGHyyGs05KSkeScgDvPvJPWWDRKwzw/w300-h400/CoveredMarketEpernay.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fresh produce at the covered market made me <br />wish I was able to shop and get it back to the boat.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05-JvzgZYpX9-61ahryI32tzj6LUtitMQUHuCHpuAqrAiPRjnAybdHCOulNIzqqExmXJZ3cAkiG6ZmYgwQAMcqycl33OmQyZ8V4PiC2z40ABUXRB4mAoOr31ZgL20_ziJ1eKbj7Cz5QBGo83U8O4i_mL2e0DI_ZkgHVuNHDZPOa-OP-OsPVS30prC/s4080/StMartinGate.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05-JvzgZYpX9-61ahryI32tzj6LUtitMQUHuCHpuAqrAiPRjnAybdHCOulNIzqqExmXJZ3cAkiG6ZmYgwQAMcqycl33OmQyZ8V4PiC2z40ABUXRB4mAoOr31ZgL20_ziJ1eKbj7Cz5QBGo83U8O4i_mL2e0DI_ZkgHVuNHDZPOa-OP-OsPVS30prC/w300-h400/StMartinGate.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Portail-Saint-Martin, one of the few bits of "old" in Epernay.<br /> Dating from 1540, it's the one remaining piece of the<br /> former Notre-Dame abbey church.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We left our mooring in Mareuil-sur-Ay on Sunday, May 28, and had a very short cruise--under two hours. We passed from the Canal Lateral a la Marne into the Marne River proper and stopped in the village of Cumieres. It was a cute little place and had a few champagne houses, but the main interest for us was that we would be able to cycle up the hill behind Cumieres to the village of Hautvillers. </div><div><br /></div><div>Hautvillers became famous in the 18th century as the site where Dom Perignon, a Benedictine monk, worked to develop champagne as it is known today. He was an important quality pioneer for Champagne wine, but contrary to popular legend, he was not the discoverer of the method for making sparkling wines. Most people are likely only aware of the name "Dom Perignon" in relation to the luxury champagne brand produced by the company Moet & Chandon.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxoiMIhjXXJVL5mdCGELB280O1UNNi_kpuEARZkQOCYBOcn31QJMxWLIhV27fKCP-hw9GkzXtd2MWpsPDXaV9E3FA1l8J_hZdpLBSnmjZjgYmTtBvxQAUhC5DTCXNcyOeSQ_ArcpR3os-TzyGQ3YrIjv0BrIZYl_By84FrW1LJ3ORHJxD9NHlTPlV/s2624/RoadtoHV.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxoiMIhjXXJVL5mdCGELB280O1UNNi_kpuEARZkQOCYBOcn31QJMxWLIhV27fKCP-hw9GkzXtd2MWpsPDXaV9E3FA1l8J_hZdpLBSnmjZjgYmTtBvxQAUhC5DTCXNcyOeSQ_ArcpR3os-TzyGQ3YrIjv0BrIZYl_By84FrW1LJ3ORHJxD9NHlTPlV/w400-h300/RoadtoHV.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From our mooring in Cumieres we could see the road we'd be<br />biking up to get to Hautvillers.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQjaf0eICl3uoBoYXebB6mLTWPZnmQBfSRL4ofQUCuEBfz9QuyCJdTO3FEQqpYaW07qvQu730CUqNdVRAPS4OrN0TDqxXhjjhnycKGjGqbcXE8ZhrpI62tmU3tT3JvziBmK1oeneollNZeI3Y5r5jYr_eUJdZ7-bPcKwHYnshwl6XR1tvTmjsur6E/s4080/LonBikeHV.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQjaf0eICl3uoBoYXebB6mLTWPZnmQBfSRL4ofQUCuEBfz9QuyCJdTO3FEQqpYaW07qvQu730CUqNdVRAPS4OrN0TDqxXhjjhnycKGjGqbcXE8ZhrpI62tmU3tT3JvziBmK1oeneollNZeI3Y5r5jYr_eUJdZ7-bPcKwHYnshwl6XR1tvTmjsur6E/w400-h300/LonBikeHV.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">E-bike notwithstanding, the hill was very steep and Lon<br />had to work hard to get his bike up the hill.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0o3N0vzAB_vtSTRB4tWAmWevmJauXALU8xET-Z_K3VH9wZOql9oS94bynHczE3dNNagtxiIYsMs5DMqyivzJtxlixxPGLt65vyml2NqaXbTrQRhC67x155S2IJDJiOXa-Xsfl6Xe-h-2gaVHOl-OxFHksSKaI7GzTbGNmnn4jUGUEGdD3pXS0-X3/s3427/ViewOverCumieres.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3427" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0o3N0vzAB_vtSTRB4tWAmWevmJauXALU8xET-Z_K3VH9wZOql9oS94bynHczE3dNNagtxiIYsMs5DMqyivzJtxlixxPGLt65vyml2NqaXbTrQRhC67x155S2IJDJiOXa-Xsfl6Xe-h-2gaVHOl-OxFHksSKaI7GzTbGNmnn4jUGUEGdD3pXS0-X3/w358-h400/ViewOverCumieres.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view down the hill toward Cumieres. There's a boat<br />visible in the middle of the river in the distance, and<br />CARIB is a small blue "dot" along the shore just beyond it.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKzlAFfx0FtyPK6hTGRIniwabMwrd3OgDk495GfF8BGyH7a8NFrtea2bAwBxHB4O9M6wvTu2wjb5jtTa0xT0aeCDYxSU-eRhhEBHfl7fGLGqvR46w5xi3DxmzziJJqDZOcq3n-D_XDhibRenrR22mFvsluvhmPV9lhIFciywL1Axt_lVDhd1yxaHO/s2624/CanalViewFromVineyars.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKzlAFfx0FtyPK6hTGRIniwabMwrd3OgDk495GfF8BGyH7a8NFrtea2bAwBxHB4O9M6wvTu2wjb5jtTa0xT0aeCDYxSU-eRhhEBHfl7fGLGqvR46w5xi3DxmzziJJqDZOcq3n-D_XDhibRenrR22mFvsluvhmPV9lhIFciywL1Axt_lVDhd1yxaHO/w400-h300/CanalViewFromVineyars.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view from "up top", this looking at the last lock<br />we'd passed through on the Canal lateral a la Marne.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJcJPeVqLf9mIZG4tY9ctUBDDJ_gYr8_5fngxS9G9UxF09xQ1-QeqvmrQmhzIfwjlQVUpbX9fkarP26KDpVZXkhcpJ_DhZgcMTHK-EqJSBfsDfanji4KhcMydIxypj3s1slvToKqALHSYFvSpt9i5p57WG7bV4VmcdHKUcOtJ7qGazJLZounkqL8c/s2466/ChamTasteHV.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2466" data-original-width="2353" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJcJPeVqLf9mIZG4tY9ctUBDDJ_gYr8_5fngxS9G9UxF09xQ1-QeqvmrQmhzIfwjlQVUpbX9fkarP26KDpVZXkhcpJ_DhZgcMTHK-EqJSBfsDfanji4KhcMydIxypj3s1slvToKqALHSYFvSpt9i5p57WG7bV4VmcdHKUcOtJ7qGazJLZounkqL8c/w381-h400/ChamTasteHV.jpg" width="381" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Champagne tastings were a popular activity in Hautvillers<br />that Sunday afternoon.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjeun3EMe5cI7LIR0tpvnqs3L9FuvOwSARYVa-fOFsWRkWoTXQWN9llO2KSyZHqKSh4N0GSc6NKO2lVbfMBtpFwUA2tD4KVCGaYdiKv-n6pPyvAOj34QoyygsEcpvJH47CmlgQ9D4al9rl5yJQq_kQn8pwAwFxC9aLsFf-lH4rISSYnSRTfcFFW5r/s2624/DomPerignonBurial.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjeun3EMe5cI7LIR0tpvnqs3L9FuvOwSARYVa-fOFsWRkWoTXQWN9llO2KSyZHqKSh4N0GSc6NKO2lVbfMBtpFwUA2tD4KVCGaYdiKv-n6pPyvAOj34QoyygsEcpvJH47CmlgQ9D4al9rl5yJQq_kQn8pwAwFxC9aLsFf-lH4rISSYnSRTfcFFW5r/s320/DomPerignonBurial.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dom Perignon is buried in the abbey church where<br />he served. His grave marker is to the left and a visitation<br />is a "must do" when visiting Hautvillers.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCkc1V-g8K97G_6vFOkmMcN3lS2zV9QYXeikhmbdWHAVGU0Wng9NhN2nVEQ_yYvXB2uNz1rvVd3VCh_Sh5U2BG4XulRwwXn51Slk10ModgZb1guKpbnEbwJSduw2ypSc0QimO7y3ELqrpOqBMfsrE7AoX3JeMCo3PlFYZwBTdRC0E7R8Ihdx587Us/s2624/HVStreetscape.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1471" data-original-width="2624" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCkc1V-g8K97G_6vFOkmMcN3lS2zV9QYXeikhmbdWHAVGU0Wng9NhN2nVEQ_yYvXB2uNz1rvVd3VCh_Sh5U2BG4XulRwwXn51Slk10ModgZb1guKpbnEbwJSduw2ypSc0QimO7y3ELqrpOqBMfsrE7AoX3JeMCo3PlFYZwBTdRC0E7R8Ihdx587Us/w640-h358/HVStreetscape.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The village has maintained a lot of its old buildings, probably due to its protected<br />position high above potential marauders over the centuries.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULppWsT7ymQ2B9Z4RAtacUUWrcH9EEtrNaXMaVVXm8lOwYvv1-wnw-ik0QC70l75a4tYUWXNqnv_MMBPP7WNRzeuhXwKKwdwfRI-d5JFrvwUWVDXYU1V4l8vdnB5254sKMYlQmS0M-VJt9oITo567lR8_cR5D2NUgvqpaqmjqY06xqmRpSgxL12bg/s3776/JPerrierVineyards.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3776" data-original-width="2699" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULppWsT7ymQ2B9Z4RAtacUUWrcH9EEtrNaXMaVVXm8lOwYvv1-wnw-ik0QC70l75a4tYUWXNqnv_MMBPP7WNRzeuhXwKKwdwfRI-d5JFrvwUWVDXYU1V4l8vdnB5254sKMYlQmS0M-VJt9oITo567lR8_cR5D2NUgvqpaqmjqY06xqmRpSgxL12bg/w286-h400/JPerrierVineyards.jpg" width="286" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Champagne house we visited when we were<br />in Chalons-en-Champagne grows some of its<br />grapes in the hills around Cumieres.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxgLMfaoHsDunp32iDOLAzEKPLGw36zMiNKk73mbghCzgTOOx1TNGSouAbrkPZqpJDHzqDhIDoqK70esWYrVJtJRniiSutvjVLGYLbAtJ5jNeFURoYUrX7xYySk3w9MnOrEto0QPLZL9oLMmxC2WonwDAZexQ2zGnw0i3YEzhv3l9k_9A-xFXDlvp/s1263/SignHV.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1263" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxgLMfaoHsDunp32iDOLAzEKPLGw36zMiNKk73mbghCzgTOOx1TNGSouAbrkPZqpJDHzqDhIDoqK70esWYrVJtJRniiSutvjVLGYLbAtJ5jNeFURoYUrX7xYySk3w9MnOrEto0QPLZL9oLMmxC2WonwDAZexQ2zGnw0i3YEzhv3l9k_9A-xFXDlvp/w400-h348/SignHV.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well over 100 buildings in Hautvillers are adorned with iron signs<br />of various designs. This sign displays tools that are used in <br />viticulture.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We took a lot of rubber off our cycle brakes during the steep descent on our return to the boat.</div><div><br /></div><div>The following day we left Cumieres, and although it was a public holiday (Whit Monday, the day after Pentecost), the locks were operating. The first three locks on the Marne were of an unusual construction--they were longer and wider than the locks we'd been using on the canals, and they had sloped sides and a floating pontoon that we had to tie up to while the water lowered in the lock.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYd6QDlmiz_SGQjft8OZhuqpCg2bIIyv7fVacE9Be39fs3x_HIito4GWaTQMYO_eWo8VO9hR8NI5oF2CWbTyQc7vapJK7f6kre4u-KJDcK0RL0sYlxoYRJaYnpD6QufoCd5IUQbhKBYWnmG9MirlzvQHPtyAsmGJZ7cOX9DsidvgJDILMDL1erGcm/s2624/SlopeLock.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYd6QDlmiz_SGQjft8OZhuqpCg2bIIyv7fVacE9Be39fs3x_HIito4GWaTQMYO_eWo8VO9hR8NI5oF2CWbTyQc7vapJK7f6kre4u-KJDcK0RL0sYlxoYRJaYnpD6QufoCd5IUQbhKBYWnmG9MirlzvQHPtyAsmGJZ7cOX9DsidvgJDILMDL1erGcm/w400-h300/SlopeLock.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sloped wall of the lock is visible on the right, as is the<br />walkway to the pontoon we were moored to.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Our stop for the day was a sturdy pontoon next to a campground at the town of Dormans. Nominally it is a champagne town, but not to the same degree as the previous towns and villages we'd stopped at, and it was exceedingly quiet on this holiday.<div><br /></div><div>Dormans is significant as the site of one of four national monuments to WWI in France, in this case, the "Memorial of the Battles of the Marne." The memorial was created in memory of the important victories at the 1st and 2nd Battles of the Marne (September 1914 and July 1918). Dormans was selected as the location by Marshal Foch, the Supreme Allied Commander during the First World War, as representing the "synthetic point of the two battles of the Marne". It was built between 1921 and 1931.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4d-4Ct8gHAdjqjroyPwO2YiUf0JTTSo46zSsWviPRvt_7cVu3aPQYCFLQoOsztdOVmUWZlSOHaosSpnbILqIAlFAo0XIKybNUih_rmxs43pbpDuUfi9Cvbbl-zsGYD0x-Lcnudhh8qRJq__aZWwuh-h7lYEdLQfvtpf1A2N544ljm0dA6zR2ri3TQ/s4080/ChateauDormans.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4d-4Ct8gHAdjqjroyPwO2YiUf0JTTSo46zSsWviPRvt_7cVu3aPQYCFLQoOsztdOVmUWZlSOHaosSpnbILqIAlFAo0XIKybNUih_rmxs43pbpDuUfi9Cvbbl-zsGYD0x-Lcnudhh8qRJq__aZWwuh-h7lYEdLQfvtpf1A2N544ljm0dA6zR2ri3TQ/w400-h300/ChateauDormans.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Chateau de Dormans, in whose garden the Memorial is built.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZVF-m513nIUO0pOG1fV9wpC3AKf01Huvx2Q0O-MwOuhW1AD_V3pvDIj7S_iQ_Lxi9lHj2wRJulSVU6abj5Ko-_obfwA1OOtv3fKQ3DqTN74H2yjUTYpSZzmMvd2qRMeO_1Ez5X7Pxx0rDPUxryZ510dWLXMvPzuFzLSybA5mktD1q8dunXDChnnNE/s4080/LonTopofMonumentDormans.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZVF-m513nIUO0pOG1fV9wpC3AKf01Huvx2Q0O-MwOuhW1AD_V3pvDIj7S_iQ_Lxi9lHj2wRJulSVU6abj5Ko-_obfwA1OOtv3fKQ3DqTN74H2yjUTYpSZzmMvd2qRMeO_1Ez5X7Pxx0rDPUxryZ510dWLXMvPzuFzLSybA5mktD1q8dunXDChnnNE/w400-h300/LonTopofMonumentDormans.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visitors are allowed to climb up to the viewing area of the main<br />tower. Lon was enjoying the view over the Marne.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1rtnQrYPCHTwId6twDKZPLuPkS9MoFEAzhBZi5xVmSskAa0c8PxsmvGC0gkm9TfxSAP6I8DTMrDMzkBmRkBhB_Hv_p3REs1D2M0lckx1LnVUZquq7In92PqXhksQKP3aWaW2B-AK_l1UDcHyq1WbXqFNGSs9NfEaJKpPnG1XMOTSnen7zAgfhe7L/s4080/MonumentMarneDormans.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2325" data-original-width="4080" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1rtnQrYPCHTwId6twDKZPLuPkS9MoFEAzhBZi5xVmSskAa0c8PxsmvGC0gkm9TfxSAP6I8DTMrDMzkBmRkBhB_Hv_p3REs1D2M0lckx1LnVUZquq7In92PqXhksQKP3aWaW2B-AK_l1UDcHyq1WbXqFNGSs9NfEaJKpPnG1XMOTSnen7zAgfhe7L/w400-h228/MonumentMarneDormans.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The front approach to the Memorial.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBBKY3j9n52tT4o6Nja_gyZlGsMpa4W3Imww3xQsehiz926Dtrs0VpUCZjGY7l2DD-wEr6AGEQiGPkrk13E6z2nCgcfNzw0z8fqXLVTVkr3XAITOiqs8UMK6ssFWXErS4xyc43d3HvAAG0yxuWDmwwtBX59aVYcwjEG22NI51Mjc4alzd3sy0fq9A/s4080/OssuaryDormans.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBBKY3j9n52tT4o6Nja_gyZlGsMpa4W3Imww3xQsehiz926Dtrs0VpUCZjGY7l2DD-wEr6AGEQiGPkrk13E6z2nCgcfNzw0z8fqXLVTVkr3XAITOiqs8UMK6ssFWXErS4xyc43d3HvAAG0yxuWDmwwtBX59aVYcwjEG22NI51Mjc4alzd3sy0fq9A/w300-h400/OssuaryDormans.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ossuary, which contains the remains of nearly<br />1500 unidentified soldiers distributed among 130 coffins,<br /> and 11 soldiers whose identities are known.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGtx76Y08l7lFcl1dwPrxWBhQxK7LBtEiQfqIaa4fVCD-E1TGJ04bB6K3bXYxL-tNl6kEmZs1XbvJLNnSOT73Baf7z8Tlkae9qwK4_O8OkkasFArVAHF_KtDgHFWYv2zZSWlvR-UIun_FMJ9KteWXiMewxEZ0OPRozN3b95VgUjeVeMx3ZiyLT-nb/s2624/PatStepsMonument.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="2624" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGtx76Y08l7lFcl1dwPrxWBhQxK7LBtEiQfqIaa4fVCD-E1TGJ04bB6K3bXYxL-tNl6kEmZs1XbvJLNnSOT73Baf7z8Tlkae9qwK4_O8OkkasFArVAHF_KtDgHFWYv2zZSWlvR-UIun_FMJ9KteWXiMewxEZ0OPRozN3b95VgUjeVeMx3ZiyLT-nb/w400-h300/PatStepsMonument.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pat climbing the steps to approach the Memorial. The chateau<br />is visible in the upper right.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEVHga-inrnHnE5jBBfgUyXGjY66x6gxl8qof9F8SFGX0ppv1azlBZ-kK4kGBbnGueKHAX0o6_Zzk-ULV0C4itgo1MY6TDQZc8qvBJe56xtkO2kVODY7QO-jDUHGnq68DzJ8sbZBCv_qkmuZ-T7CHMSkV7D_NR9tpJscI1iM8Uf4KmPvPBr68pqc1/s3483/MooredinDormans.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1760" data-original-width="3483" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEVHga-inrnHnE5jBBfgUyXGjY66x6gxl8qof9F8SFGX0ppv1azlBZ-kK4kGBbnGueKHAX0o6_Zzk-ULV0C4itgo1MY6TDQZc8qvBJe56xtkO2kVODY7QO-jDUHGnq68DzJ8sbZBCv_qkmuZ-T7CHMSkV7D_NR9tpJscI1iM8Uf4KmPvPBr68pqc1/w640-h324/MooredinDormans.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our mooring in Dormans, taken from the perspective of the bridge that allowed us to<br />cross the river into town. We're big fans of the color of the water.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Next stop as we continue west toward Paris: Chateau Thierry.</div>Pat Wojtowiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207640399268574890noreply@blogger.com0