Canal archive

Hope this works a little pressie for those jazz lovers amongst us, I found it whilst trolling through pictures of ours and Scenics first Seine cruise. MVI_3112.mov

Look for pretty silk long Johns and silk under gloves absolutely brilliant don’t weigh much and keep you ohh soo warm. Used mine for winter camping with my Girl Guides.

Kristelle I’m sure I’ve seen the obc for Australia on the website will troll through and find it. Or have you been offered the choice of luggage etc? as the obc replaces that. Alcohol don’t worry about the wine just think of your most superb favourite cocktails make a list and work your way through them or likewise with the spirits. It’s not a case of drink till you drop, actually I think I’ve only seen one person over the eight and he just got the most awful case of hiccups. It’s try what you enjoy and maybe have a little experiment.

Mooring spots are allocated by the port authorities and usually don’t change much make sure you have the ships contact details and enjoy your cruise.

Thanks all I can now get down from the table having caught the answer from you Ta.

Weather fine, feet up large cool glass of Australian wine watching the Cricket Test Match Australia v India - Lyon bowling to Kohli.

Google Doodles well I had to get up on the table to catch that one, never heard of it - completely passed me by. Having made a quick search maybe it’s to do with cream teas and do you spread cream or jam on the scone first. An endless argument between our western counties Devon and Cornwall.

One of our family dogs the English Pointer is fixated on catching butterflies of all things it’s her beautiful stance that gets me. Our neighbours have just returned from their cruise on Scenic Eclipse 11 will let you know their overall opinion. Here it is - evidently he loved it especially as he was super douper upgraded but didn’t like be talked at. I can understand he is a retired British Army Colonel and he wouldn’t do it again. We have ‘Ash die back’ so are loosing many of our most beautiful trees.

P.S. must admit to not being that expert on the tiller but am a wizard at locks and mooring up.

I was asked once how canals worked, my answer they work on alcohol and canal water and in that order, pubs are useful to navigate by. Now considering there are allocated places to turn a narrowboat you can understand navigation is pretty simple and there is such a thing as drunk in charge of a canal boat. Sorry to say however much I’d love to I can’t tiller you as I’ve hung up my windlass. My husband several years ago now was driving all over the country and flying all over the world so busy and not stopping. I happened to talk to his secretary who had just been on a narrowboat holiday and said how restful it was so I booked a week, we never looked back. It’s an expensive hobby 16 tons of expertly crafted steel doesn’t come cheap but so well worth it. A gentle, relaxing holiday with the odd tad of hard work.

There are hotel boats as well, small but bijou.

So glad things are improving and your feeling better.

Fascinating, canals are still used and could be used more to move water to areas in need this happens in England and if we do it it’s got to be done elsewhere around the world. An old idea but still useful. Reservoirs built to supply canals now do double duty.

Agree Notamermaid we’ve just been through almost a month of four day weeks due to how the annual holidays fell and the Coronation. We also now really need some rain hopefully we won’t have the same challenges that Canada is experiencing.

Jazz am I presuming too much by thinking this includes all soft drinks as originally the companies who charged for alcoholic beverages also charged for soft drinks, which in Europe are more expensive than in the USA. Don’t get me wrong I think it’s a superb way to go.

No be yourself there is no way I’m a wine connoisseur although I like wine but for some obscure reason cannot tolerate Merlot. How about a discussion on Coca Cola v Pepsi, sugar free or full fat, to my mind (however small) an equally interesting subject. Wine is very subjective as in I like what I like and there are some I really dislike as in very dry yes sweet ohhhh no. Turn the tables on the wine snobs ask loads of questions as to why they consider a wine good, superior etc., just carry on until your board with them there are only ten of you so loads more to talk about especially if your from different countries. We had a friend who was the International representative for Taitinger Champagne the most wonderful old world gentleman he knew everything there was to know about fizz nothing at all about other wines and was the first to admit it.

For home and Europe we don’t use a TA but anything else yes although with a lot of personal research (archivists tend to be researchers). We used a TA for our six adult and one child invasion of California just before covid struck and he sorted a real conundrum with hotels around Disney, for which we shall always be grateful but we introduced him to places he’d never heard of and has since contacted us for information for other customers. We’ve traveled the world used TA’s and they’ve been there in the background and ready if required luckily so far that’s not happened. For Scenic I’ve always used the U.K. office and they’ve been brilliant. If I was travelling from the USA I’d use a TA, research, check or get someone to check social media, I’d go and see them you’ll know just by talking to them for a few minutes if you were comfortable with them. They need your business you don’t need theirs unless it’s spot-on.

Jazz is right we have traveled with Scenic pre the special meals and the introduction of them has been a real success. Table de Rive is worth it for the interest and a good place to natter about the trip. Portabellos is certainly worth it try teaming up with another couple. I’ve brought home recipes from both experiences with notes from the chef personally on two occasions, just because they highlight the wine it’s the food that they hope is the star. I haven’t been on a cruise since covid but why not talk to the Cruise Director and let him, or her know you like a real exercise they will point you in the right direction that’s what they’re there for. Yes there tours were split into at least three sections in the past I usually take the slow for photographic purposes, once we even had ‘gentle’ and ‘photo’. The wash bag is supposed to be 1kg (2.2lb) I’m pretty sure they don’t weigh them and you can squeeze in more, depending on your deck you could get two items pressed daily, although laundry is not extortionate but is quick and efficient. Its certainly not rude to decline, it’s your holiday but why not go it’s another experience go for it and really enjoy it’s a super cruise.

Now that is way older than the canal I research how interesting.

This is completely wrong but I will have a go the Maas & the Waal.

Thank you dc1990 very interesting we’re off with Scenic in a few weeks time first time since a year before Covid, we were in the States before everything was closed down. It will be interesting to work with the changes. I know you had problems with Scenics tech challenges they weren’t so bad here. When I booked with Scenic office in the U.K. they explained about the paperless information which has worked very well and in very good time so we’ve had plenty of time to sort a timing issue with the chauffeur company out. I must admit to have had no problem with Scenics slow working groups, I use them for photography ease. We’ve had a few poor tour guides but have just made our feeling known. I’m a little concerned about unsecured Wi-Fi.

Very new and looks very interesting.

Stargazing wonderful idea needs some thinking about. We’ve just stayed in a part of Wales that is a designated dark sky reserve so pretty interesting. It would seem useless though near a town or city hope it worked then maybe other companies might try it.

On one of our cruises we visited Hockenheim, fantastic day - open track day for the motorbike boys and it drizzled (what fun) round the museum there and then our coach driver found a corner just off the normal track where the boys were ‘drifting’ so on we got and off we went, late back to the boat but certainly well worth it.

It might help the contributors how to answer if we knew which line you first travelled with.