Canal archive

Bizziecruzer you soon will be, good advice from Gnome12. Look out for anything from Notamermaid on the suggested threads. Also we’ve had just a few drops 💦 of rain across Europe recently. Enjoy reading.

Ahhh those were the days.

That couldn’t be our Isle of Wight? off the coast near Portsmouth? Because if it was I could understand.

Wonderful so you’re all set and I think it proves if you don’t ask, in this case not ‘you don’t get’ but you ‘don’t know’. Have a wonderful cruise and be prepared to be wowed, I’ve not seen the Nutcracker there but have here by the Royal Ballet absolutely enchanting I defy even ballet no-sayers not to be enthralled.

So how did they get to our canal? Interestinggggg

Come to think of it not many of us Southerners can understand Geordie or Glaswegian but I don’t do to badly on west country and of course Welsh is another language although it’s weird when listening to someone in full Welsh flow and out comes a modern word because there’s no translated word. The English colloquial word for an eraser has in the past caused many a raised eyebrow though in America.

That is so cute and what a wonderful thought. Superb!

I’m pretty sure I’ve never actually criticised Viking as to their on board capability’s as I have never cruised with them. In fact because of how they treated my best friend when her husband was taken I’ll on board I’ve been supportive of them and have questioned some critics. You are correct there are very different levels of luxury mine are exceedingly high.

Apparol Spritz whilst waiting for the cyclists return and then lunch in the sun. Beautiful day. Scenic Gem set off for Vernon super cruising weather, whoops spoke to soon. We had the most horrendous hail storm ever so heavy they even had to slow the ship down. Okay they have radar but when the eye cannot see each bank of the river then I believe caution is not only recommended but top of the list. Wow what an experience. Sorry no photos and this from a lady who always has a camera of some kind to hand. But DH has just transferred this taken in Ruone I don’t remember it from our first visit. More catch ups soon.

Pontac will have a fit here as I’m supporting Viking but I’ve never heard of Viking excursions being extra pricey and I would question why should it be exclusive to Viking, just saying.

Ahhhh there’s something to be said about being friends before lovers or okay even becoming friends because you are lovers.

Many years ago whilst shopping in a Paris department store whilst purchasing an item my husband said that I had throughly confused the poor assistant because I used at least four if not five different languages - French, Spanish, German, Italian and English, okay maybe only one word of each but does this make me multi-lingual, I think not but it does mean believe it or not that I have the ability to order various drinks in various languages in loads of places around the world. Ohh I once - in my youth started an - English/American dictionary I must look for it. Fawcet-tap, Lift-elevator and so on and so forth.

At the moment in my dreams, I’m getting good at them!

Pontac you smoothie you. We did a dinner cruise courtesy of Scenic because on its first Seine cruise the Gem wasn’t completely ready. I must admit it was quite good but that was back in 2014 I expect it’s improved by now. Wouldn’t mind doing it again.

Note to above - forgot to say these qualifications mean that as long as these Captains are on board no pilot is required.

It feels like we sneak out of Honfluer as we’re all fast asleep, Only four cruise companies have the required boats and crew to tackle the maritime section of the Seine and moor up in Honfluer harbour, if you get the chance to cruise on one of them do so it’s a river cruising experience not to be missed. So off we went to Caudebec en Caux pretty little place where DH decided on a bike ride which he really enjoyed (he does have his own electric bike) did you know that Victor Hugo lived there for some time and they now have a museum about him. News to me and DH who really enjoyed his actually rather long (not that the participants complained) bike ride. Whilst he and most of the other passengers were off doing other things I was wandering around reading etc. But also keeping an eye on our two Captains who were being put through the wringer by a group who came on board in the morning. After much machinations it turned out that they were both completing their testing on their competence to navigate to and into Honfluer harbour and to and from on the maritime section. So now Scenic has one Captain with the seniority and qualifications and one Captain one year short of his seniority but qualified. An absolutely wonderful thing to observe everyone on board was so happy for them. To have to go through that whilst in the middle of a cruise must add real tension.

Congratulations Notamermaid Bayern Munich has just bought our best footballer so I’m sat here listening to my DH reminiscing about Munich - evidently a beautiful city his many times there and his Germany colleagues of times past. I never got the chance to visit. 🥲

A memory for you. It’s a beautiful city. I’m pleased these cruises have been reinstated they were stopped after an horrendous collision.

We moored in Honfluer for two days absolutely wonderful. Just a little on how Scenic has changed its way of operating since we last cruised with them in 2019. Scenic employed all of their crew except one from a German company who also supplied other cruise companies. The one exception was the cruise director. Now Scenic employ all of their staff, maritime, hotel and catering directly except for one - yes the cruise director. Thinking about this and admittedly from only one cruise but also speaking to a few staff I pretty sure it’s a good move. More on qualifications etc later. 1of4 that’s a cruise we haven’t done so maybe a little arm twisting is called for.😆

Turning to reverse into the inner - inner harbour superb seamanship and teamwork from our maritime crew. Not a lot of room but the skill was certainly on display.

Everything is replaced and topped up and if you have a preference just tell your butler or cabin attendant and it will be done.

I’ve had so many challenges with the above will try to sort it. a.s.a.p.

The food on board was absolutely excellent our head chef was a young Portuguese lady and she was outstanding. At lunch we had a pasta chef again superb no waiting he had delivery off pat. The food choices were excellent something for everyone. At one stage my appetite just disappeared this caused consternation and I was assured that they would prepare absolutely anything for me. Any recipe just ask and it was in your cabin the next day. Now we’re off on our way on the Maritime section of the Seine and that’s anywhere past Rouen. We’ve picked up the pilot - more on that later. Our first shot of the Pont de Normandie

Here we are and this is one of the recipes the original was delicious.

The food on board was absolutely excellent our head chef was a young Portuguese lady and she was outstanding. At lunch we had a pasta chef again superb no waiting he had delivery off pat. The food choices were excellent something for everyone. At one stage my appetite just disappeared this caused consternation and I was assured that they would prepare absolutely anything for me. Any recipe just ask and a copy was in your cabin the next day. Now we’re off on our way on the Maritime section of the Seine and that’s anywhere past Rouen. We’ve picked up the pilot - more on that later. Below the Pont de Normandy the last bridge before the turn into Honfluer harbour.