Newly painted boisel and pinstripe.
Shenandoah
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
OFF TO ROME
Tomorrow morning, we will be getting up very early to drive up to Charleroi, where Brussels' secondary airport is located. From there, Sylvia is taking the 6:30 flight to Ciampino Airpot, the secondary one in Rome. From the airpot, there are several ways to get to Fiumicino, the port on the River Trevere, where our friends' boat is moored. There is a bus that takes you to the Metro and from there to Rome's main train station to connect to Fiumicino. There is also a bus to the station, or one can also take a taxi. I guess she will be playing it by ear, and at the end decide which one will be best under the circumstances. The weather promises to be good --sunny and warm, so Sylvia is truly looking forward to this little trip.
Monday, June 26, 2006
SUMMER IN CAMBRAI
This past weekend was a very busy one here in Cambrai. There was the FEODALES, a type of Renaissance Fair, which was set up all around town in squares and walking streets. They had horses, jousting demonstrations and tents set up with arts and crafts of all different types. The best one was a German group who had the most gorgeous setup of all. It looked just like a medieval town with a public bathtub, goldsmith, bakery, beer hall, carpenter, seamstress, etc. They had great food and beautiful costumes. In the evening they lit a bonfire and performed the most unusual pagan like dances. It was all very professionally done. Also, it was the Day of St. John, so the Portuguese community in town had a set up a large tent here at the port with hundreds of tables for their celebration on Saturday evening. They had folk dancing in their beautiful regional dresses, adults and children alike. It felt like a true Portuguese village with the smell of grilled sardines and sweet white wine all about. It was a beautiful day, so the turnout was good for both festivals. Unfortunately on Sunday it rained all day, and needless to say, there were not too many people out on the streets.
We were very pleasantly surprised by our friend Hortensia from San Diego who was in Lille visiting her son, and who came to see us for the day. It was great to have been able to show her a great summer day in Cambrai and to have spent a good couple of hours with her on the boat.
We were very pleasantly surprised by our friend Hortensia from San Diego who was in Lille visiting her son, and who came to see us for the day. It was great to have been able to show her a great summer day in Cambrai and to have spent a good couple of hours with her on the boat.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
SUMMER IS REALLY HERE
We have been having beautiful summer days, and nedless to say, we have accomplished a lot. It took me three days to paint the stern and the suround of the boat it a glossy black paint. It looks great, and I was able to do it with a dingy that our friends John and Val lent us. Bill is finishing all the woodwork in the wheelhouse and ready to start on the walls. We have found a seamstress who is going to do all the cushions and pillows for the seats. I have an appointment with her this evening, so we hope it will not take too long to have them done. After that is done, we have to find window covers, and VOILA! Next project is the bathroom. We will be covering the wall, painting the ceiling and making a storage area under the steps. If the weather holds, I'll be able to continue to paint, this time, the yellow pinstripe, the white exterior, and the red forepeak.
This past weekend, a gorgeous boat with an American flag stopped by at the port. We got all excited to see some fellow Americans--the first ones we have met here in Cambrai. They had their boat built in England, brought it across the Channel and are now on their way south. They met a couple of friends here who will be traveling with them for a while, so I offered to take them shopping, in view that Sunday nothing would be open. They stocked up for a few days, especially on wine. They are planning to have a good time indeed. We had drinks with them on their boat, which is the most beaufilly outfitted I have ever seen. It is 24 mts. long, and it is exquisitely decorated. Both David and Mary Ellen,the owners, designed it. We went to dinner together, and had a great old time. I shall include some photos on my next posting.
On the 29 I will be going to Rome to visit our Dutch friend Willemijn who is there on the river with their boat. Her husband in going to Switzerland, so she invited me to come over for a few days. We both like museums, concerts and shopping, so we are looking forward to a good time. I found a very economic fair from Charleroi Airport in Brussels. It will be a good change.
This past weekend, a gorgeous boat with an American flag stopped by at the port. We got all excited to see some fellow Americans--the first ones we have met here in Cambrai. They had their boat built in England, brought it across the Channel and are now on their way south. They met a couple of friends here who will be traveling with them for a while, so I offered to take them shopping, in view that Sunday nothing would be open. They stocked up for a few days, especially on wine. They are planning to have a good time indeed. We had drinks with them on their boat, which is the most beaufilly outfitted I have ever seen. It is 24 mts. long, and it is exquisitely decorated. Both David and Mary Ellen,the owners, designed it. We went to dinner together, and had a great old time. I shall include some photos on my next posting.
On the 29 I will be going to Rome to visit our Dutch friend Willemijn who is there on the river with their boat. Her husband in going to Switzerland, so she invited me to come over for a few days. We both like museums, concerts and shopping, so we are looking forward to a good time. I found a very economic fair from Charleroi Airport in Brussels. It will be a good change.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
OUR FIRST VISITORS
After a lovely time with our friends Jamie and Anne on their boat, we came back to Cambrai to do some more work on Biesbosch and to have it looking nice for our first visitors. The weather was awful, however, until the day they arrived. We managed to do some touch ups between rainstorms, but not much to the exterior. In the wheelhouse Bill was able to set the table so the four of us could eat together. It is a beautiful mahogany table which he built in California and finished here.
Jeff and Susan were coming from Italy where they spent a few days in Lake Como. They went to Paris for a few days and took the train to come to see us. Bill picked them up at the station in Cambrai and brought them over to the boat. This was a totally new experience for them. Although it was still a bit cool, we had good weather when cruising to Vaucelles the next day. The trip is about four hours along the St. Quentin Canal. It is a lovely stretch with 11 locks between Cambrai and the abbey. Vaucelles is a XIII C. Abbey which is said to have had the second largest library in France. It has suffered horrible damage especially during WW I. Throughout the year many events are held there to collect funds for the restoration of the abbey. We happened to be there on Monday of Pentecost, when they were having a sort of art fair. There were dancers, a fashion show, artists of all types and food in the gardens. It was a gorgeous day for such event, so we very much enjoyed it. The walk from the boat to the Abbey is less than 10 minutes.
We had drinks and dinner on the boat and managed to have a good night sleep despite the fact that Jeff was getting a cold. He was such a good sport about the whole thing, although he was not feeling well. On Tuesday we had a leisurely breakfast on the boat and started our trip back around 1100 AM. The morning was sunny and crisp, but by the time we got back, it had warmed up a bit. Upon our return, we went to the train station to see about buying tickets for their trip back to Paris. After that, Jeff and Susan took us out to a lovely restaurant where we had a very nice meal. Wednesday around lunchtime, Bill drove them to Douai, a nearby town so they could take the TGV straight to Charles de Gaulle Airport. It was sad to say good bye, but it was wonderful to have had the chance to share this experience with them. It meant a lot to us.
It has been a week since the weather changed. We are finally having summer weather. The last 3 days, the temperature has gone up to 35 C, very hot but dry. Bill is now setting the floor in the wheelhouse, and I am finishing a table he built for the living room. Today is supposed to be another hot day, so I am sure a lot will be accomplished. Our friends Tag and Enid are going cruising tomorrow, so we are having them over for dinner tonight.
Jeff and Susan were coming from Italy where they spent a few days in Lake Como. They went to Paris for a few days and took the train to come to see us. Bill picked them up at the station in Cambrai and brought them over to the boat. This was a totally new experience for them. Although it was still a bit cool, we had good weather when cruising to Vaucelles the next day. The trip is about four hours along the St. Quentin Canal. It is a lovely stretch with 11 locks between Cambrai and the abbey. Vaucelles is a XIII C. Abbey which is said to have had the second largest library in France. It has suffered horrible damage especially during WW I. Throughout the year many events are held there to collect funds for the restoration of the abbey. We happened to be there on Monday of Pentecost, when they were having a sort of art fair. There were dancers, a fashion show, artists of all types and food in the gardens. It was a gorgeous day for such event, so we very much enjoyed it. The walk from the boat to the Abbey is less than 10 minutes.
We had drinks and dinner on the boat and managed to have a good night sleep despite the fact that Jeff was getting a cold. He was such a good sport about the whole thing, although he was not feeling well. On Tuesday we had a leisurely breakfast on the boat and started our trip back around 1100 AM. The morning was sunny and crisp, but by the time we got back, it had warmed up a bit. Upon our return, we went to the train station to see about buying tickets for their trip back to Paris. After that, Jeff and Susan took us out to a lovely restaurant where we had a very nice meal. Wednesday around lunchtime, Bill drove them to Douai, a nearby town so they could take the TGV straight to Charles de Gaulle Airport. It was sad to say good bye, but it was wonderful to have had the chance to share this experience with them. It meant a lot to us.
It has been a week since the weather changed. We are finally having summer weather. The last 3 days, the temperature has gone up to 35 C, very hot but dry. Bill is now setting the floor in the wheelhouse, and I am finishing a table he built for the living room. Today is supposed to be another hot day, so I am sure a lot will be accomplished. Our friends Tag and Enid are going cruising tomorrow, so we are having them over for dinner tonight.
Friday, June 02, 2006
FROM MAASTRICHT TO LIEGE
Last Thursday we left Cambrai via Aachen, Germany thinking that the stores would be open. It was Ascension Day, and in France, everything was closed. There is an Apple Computer Center there, and I needed take my computer to have something done to it. Well, all the stores were closed as well, so we decided to relax and have a hearty German lunch. It was great, as usual, and after eating, we decided to walk around for a while. It was cold and rainy, but this is such a charming city that it did not matter. There was a festival of Aachen sister cities behind the Cathedral, built by Charlomagne, and one of the prettiest in Europe. Tents had been set up with food and spirits from the different places, and a fabulous band was playing. As we were checking it all out, a man very elegantly dressed donning a solid gold chain with a beautiful pendant, approached us and invited us in to check his tent. He was the mayor of Halifax, England, who was there for the occasion. He offered us tea sandwiches, a delicious cup of tea, and talked to us for a while. We would have liked to stay longer, but had to get going. We were due to be at our friends' boat in the early evening.
From Aachen we took a small road into Maastricht, and saw some beautiful countryside. This part of Holland is hilly, full of manors and beautiful farms. Our friends were moored just outside the city, on the Flemish side of Belgium. As we got to their boat we saw a marker at the port marking the limit between Flemish-Speaking Belgium and French-Speaking Belgium.
It was great to see Jamie and Anne again. We found out Anne was recovering from a colon operation, but she looked great. Their boat is a 32 mts. Dutch barge, beautifully done. They are still working on the forward cabin. The boat is being turned into a hotel with 3 cabins, 3 bathrooms, a kitchen and a salon.
Our friends are charming hosts, and Anne a great cook. We had a very good time with them. On Saturday we took the boat to Liege navigating on the Albert Canal with no locks. The canal joins the Maas River at the entrance of the city. It is a very wide canal with a lot of commercial boats carrying from sand powder to grain and coal. The boats can be 100 mts. long, and they travel rather fast. We moored by the old town where the market would be set up for Sunday. As soon as we arrived, we set off to explore the Old Town and its charming narrow streets with clusters of small houses and gardens. There is a Citadelle up on a high hill. To climb it, there are 373 steps! Jamie and Anne new a way around the steps trhough a gorgeous convent. The view of the city is quite impressive from there. To get down was a true adventure. It was a true labyrinth with tunnels and spiral staircases. We came out into the Artists' Distract where they were setting up for a Music Festival. At this time, it started to rain. We found refuge in a cafe, had a beer and watched the world go by. We then walked across the river to Restaurant Row, a tiny street full of restaurants on both sides. Jamie and Anne have been there many times, and have never eaten in the same place. We chose a lovely place with warm atmosphere, small and charming. The food was delicious, the wine, superb, but he service was slow. We were so animated and busy talking, that it really did not matter. As we left the restaurant, it started to rain very hard. We ran for about two blocks and arrived at a club called Les Olivettes. It is a bohemian type bar where people go to sing. They have a piano ad a saxophone player, and it is a most unique place. There were some very talented people as well as some not so talented. They sang Piaf, Sinatra, Elvis and all kinds of songs. We felt transported to the early fifties.
Sunday we woke up to the hustle and bustle of the merchants setting up their market along
The river banks. It is the largest market in Europe, and it a true experience. They sell farm animals, exotic birds, clothing, flowers, and of course incredible food. Liege is a very ethnically diverse city, so each nationality had its deli, meat and dairy market. It took us over 3 hours to walk the length of it, and it did not rain!
We left Liege around 500 PM, under a sunny blue sky. The ride back was beautiful with only a couple of boats in front of us. Back in port, we had a lovely dinner cooked by Anne, and a great night sleep. Monday we took our car to Aachen to show them the town and to have my computer looked at. We showed them the town, which they loved, had a great lunch, walked around, and on the way back stopped in a big store where the guys found lots of things for the boats. Tuesday we said our good-byes and drove to Maasbracht and Dordrecht in Holland where we looked for a new wheel for the boat. We arrived back in Cambrai around 10:00 PM. Today, Tuesday, June 2nd, is the first sunny day in the last two weeks. We cannot wait for the summer!
From Aachen we took a small road into Maastricht, and saw some beautiful countryside. This part of Holland is hilly, full of manors and beautiful farms. Our friends were moored just outside the city, on the Flemish side of Belgium. As we got to their boat we saw a marker at the port marking the limit between Flemish-Speaking Belgium and French-Speaking Belgium.
It was great to see Jamie and Anne again. We found out Anne was recovering from a colon operation, but she looked great. Their boat is a 32 mts. Dutch barge, beautifully done. They are still working on the forward cabin. The boat is being turned into a hotel with 3 cabins, 3 bathrooms, a kitchen and a salon.
Our friends are charming hosts, and Anne a great cook. We had a very good time with them. On Saturday we took the boat to Liege navigating on the Albert Canal with no locks. The canal joins the Maas River at the entrance of the city. It is a very wide canal with a lot of commercial boats carrying from sand powder to grain and coal. The boats can be 100 mts. long, and they travel rather fast. We moored by the old town where the market would be set up for Sunday. As soon as we arrived, we set off to explore the Old Town and its charming narrow streets with clusters of small houses and gardens. There is a Citadelle up on a high hill. To climb it, there are 373 steps! Jamie and Anne new a way around the steps trhough a gorgeous convent. The view of the city is quite impressive from there. To get down was a true adventure. It was a true labyrinth with tunnels and spiral staircases. We came out into the Artists' Distract where they were setting up for a Music Festival. At this time, it started to rain. We found refuge in a cafe, had a beer and watched the world go by. We then walked across the river to Restaurant Row, a tiny street full of restaurants on both sides. Jamie and Anne have been there many times, and have never eaten in the same place. We chose a lovely place with warm atmosphere, small and charming. The food was delicious, the wine, superb, but he service was slow. We were so animated and busy talking, that it really did not matter. As we left the restaurant, it started to rain very hard. We ran for about two blocks and arrived at a club called Les Olivettes. It is a bohemian type bar where people go to sing. They have a piano ad a saxophone player, and it is a most unique place. There were some very talented people as well as some not so talented. They sang Piaf, Sinatra, Elvis and all kinds of songs. We felt transported to the early fifties.
Sunday we woke up to the hustle and bustle of the merchants setting up their market along
The river banks. It is the largest market in Europe, and it a true experience. They sell farm animals, exotic birds, clothing, flowers, and of course incredible food. Liege is a very ethnically diverse city, so each nationality had its deli, meat and dairy market. It took us over 3 hours to walk the length of it, and it did not rain!
We left Liege around 500 PM, under a sunny blue sky. The ride back was beautiful with only a couple of boats in front of us. Back in port, we had a lovely dinner cooked by Anne, and a great night sleep. Monday we took our car to Aachen to show them the town and to have my computer looked at. We showed them the town, which they loved, had a great lunch, walked around, and on the way back stopped in a big store where the guys found lots of things for the boats. Tuesday we said our good-byes and drove to Maasbracht and Dordrecht in Holland where we looked for a new wheel for the boat. We arrived back in Cambrai around 10:00 PM. Today, Tuesday, June 2nd, is the first sunny day in the last two weeks. We cannot wait for the summer!
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