Jay Knoll
07-08-2006, 6:20 AM
Hi everyone
Internet access has been almost non existent, we finally found an internet cafe so I'm able to log on, don't have a lot of time tho, so I'll copy an email that SWMBO sent to our non woodworking friends. Hope everyone is having a good summer, we are!
Jay
Hi all,
Please excuse a mass email, but we have struggled to find internet access and even when we do, it's possible to read emails but not always to take the time to write them...so here is our next-best solution.
We are currently in Chalon sur Saone, a bit south of Dijon. After several great days in Paris, we arrived at the boat as planned on June 21, and it was in good shape with the exception of a little problem with a fuel pump, resolved quickly. Then we had to wait a few days for a spare filter, which was OK because it gave us time to find herb and geranium plants for the deck and get the boat all cleaned and stocked. We left there to head south to the Saone and Seille rivers on June 27. Have had a good time traveling since then, particluarly along the Seille. In a town called Louhans, we went to an open-air market where you can buy anything from flip flops to live chickens and donkeys. It was amazing, the biggest market we've seen - it completely fills the biggest street in the town, the "grande rue," from 8:30a.m. to noon, and by 2 p.m. there's no sign of it - incredible how these markets are so integrated into the culture and the street cleaners and trash collectors clean up immediately afterwards.
The other big thing this past week has been the annual sales. The government determines when the sales will be held, and all stores have sales at the same time. The markdowns are good, and get better as time goes by. I bought a pair of cotton slacks marked down from 25 euros to 6 euros - and a week later went back and they were marked down to 2 euros so I bought another pair ( 1 euro = about $1.27). The sales last all of July, and then August comes and many stores close for their annual "vacances."
We had planned to travel two of the most beautiful canals, the Nivernais and the Burgogne (Burgundy) this year, but when we actually looked at the chart, it seemed too ambitious to do both; nearly 400 locks, and very few free days between now and the end of our trip. So we re-evaluated, and now plan to cover part of the Burgogne and part of the Rhone/Rhine canal. Every place is good, so we decided it was crazy to push so hard and not have time to enjoy each place and stay awhile in a town if we want to. The town we are in now, Chalon, has many good reataurants, and a huge commercial center right across the street from the marina: a gigantic Carrefour, like a super Target which is so big the sales associates wear roller blades, and several other huge stores, including a big "bricolage" (hardware store, like Home Depot) which is Jay's favorite. These places are having sales, too, so you can only imagine the crowds.
The weather has been variable; hot and sunny for a week, then cool and rainy for a few days.The hot days are the worst, as our refrigerator has a hard time keeping up. Unlike in the states, where every marina and grocery store has an ice machine, we have yet to see one here in France. But the food, wine and people are all even better than everybody thinks, so we are enjoying ourselves greatly.
Here's a link to some of our pictures, if you're interested:
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2104441244&code=23006265&mode=invite&DCMP=isc-email-AlbumInvite
We love to receive emails, even if we can't always promise to respond, so please stay in touch.
A bientot,
Linda and Jay
Internet access has been almost non existent, we finally found an internet cafe so I'm able to log on, don't have a lot of time tho, so I'll copy an email that SWMBO sent to our non woodworking friends. Hope everyone is having a good summer, we are!
Jay
Hi all,
Please excuse a mass email, but we have struggled to find internet access and even when we do, it's possible to read emails but not always to take the time to write them...so here is our next-best solution.
We are currently in Chalon sur Saone, a bit south of Dijon. After several great days in Paris, we arrived at the boat as planned on June 21, and it was in good shape with the exception of a little problem with a fuel pump, resolved quickly. Then we had to wait a few days for a spare filter, which was OK because it gave us time to find herb and geranium plants for the deck and get the boat all cleaned and stocked. We left there to head south to the Saone and Seille rivers on June 27. Have had a good time traveling since then, particluarly along the Seille. In a town called Louhans, we went to an open-air market where you can buy anything from flip flops to live chickens and donkeys. It was amazing, the biggest market we've seen - it completely fills the biggest street in the town, the "grande rue," from 8:30a.m. to noon, and by 2 p.m. there's no sign of it - incredible how these markets are so integrated into the culture and the street cleaners and trash collectors clean up immediately afterwards.
The other big thing this past week has been the annual sales. The government determines when the sales will be held, and all stores have sales at the same time. The markdowns are good, and get better as time goes by. I bought a pair of cotton slacks marked down from 25 euros to 6 euros - and a week later went back and they were marked down to 2 euros so I bought another pair ( 1 euro = about $1.27). The sales last all of July, and then August comes and many stores close for their annual "vacances."
We had planned to travel two of the most beautiful canals, the Nivernais and the Burgogne (Burgundy) this year, but when we actually looked at the chart, it seemed too ambitious to do both; nearly 400 locks, and very few free days between now and the end of our trip. So we re-evaluated, and now plan to cover part of the Burgogne and part of the Rhone/Rhine canal. Every place is good, so we decided it was crazy to push so hard and not have time to enjoy each place and stay awhile in a town if we want to. The town we are in now, Chalon, has many good reataurants, and a huge commercial center right across the street from the marina: a gigantic Carrefour, like a super Target which is so big the sales associates wear roller blades, and several other huge stores, including a big "bricolage" (hardware store, like Home Depot) which is Jay's favorite. These places are having sales, too, so you can only imagine the crowds.
The weather has been variable; hot and sunny for a week, then cool and rainy for a few days.The hot days are the worst, as our refrigerator has a hard time keeping up. Unlike in the states, where every marina and grocery store has an ice machine, we have yet to see one here in France. But the food, wine and people are all even better than everybody thinks, so we are enjoying ourselves greatly.
Here's a link to some of our pictures, if you're interested:
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2104441244&code=23006265&mode=invite&DCMP=isc-email-AlbumInvite
We love to receive emails, even if we can't always promise to respond, so please stay in touch.
A bientot,
Linda and Jay