Happy Mistakes

Some trivial information for you:  The town of Nogent is the center for where knives, surgical implants and cutlery are made.  We found an excellent museum there showing the history with samples of everything from ancient tools to the devices used for implants today.

Sometimes there are happy mistakes.  We had understood that there would be a concert on Sunday at La Pailly Castle.  We arrived a little early planning on seeing the castle and enjoying  a brass band.  It turned out the concert was Saturday so we only missed it by one day.  Instead we received a private 1 1/2 hour tour of this amazing castle and grounds which are slowly being restored.  It was built around 1563 and is in serious need of major renovations.  It appeared from the outside that parts of the roof were collapsing.  Seeing the shoring up of walls and ceilings on the inside made me more than a little nervous during the interior tour.

La Pailly Castle 15 km from Langres

More Trivia:  The reason tress were planted was to create shaded walkways so that the ladies could walk outdoors without spoiling their white skin.  White skin was a sign of aristocracy.

Back corner of the castle.

We went from canals to the river Saone.  We almost didn't know what to do with all this space.

We spent too many days in Auxonne, the capital of the Val de Saone.  We had some rather unfortunate and unpleasant experiences while there.  Since Wilco had taken a long weekend to spend time with his family we were stuck.

This is the Notre Dame Church in Auxonne.  The stained glass windows create pretty shadows against the ceiling and walls.

An excellent example of a picturesque timber frame house from the beginning of the 17th Century.

This was the view from our boat.  Auxonne was a fortified city at one time.  They used a beautiful pink stone which unfortunately doesn't show up in my photographs.

We were tied up to the town steps.  Someone either didn't like us, and/or this is a town of too many young people with nothing to do at night.  Hence, they drink and hang out on these steps.  One night someone CUT 3 of the four lines holding our boat!  Besides being very expensive, we were fortunate they left one line.  Otherwise we could have been caught in the current and swept into who knows what.  The last night I "slept" in the pilot house to keep an eye on things.  We were very happy to leave Auxonne.

It isn't all bad.  We went for a walk one day and I discovered wine for sale at a lock!  I can shop almost anywhere.  The Rose (at 6 Euro) turned out to be very drinkable. I wish I had bought more.

We were located in an area that rent live-aboard boats for a week at a time.  Standing at their first lock was more entertainment than anyone should have to experience.  They crashed, they swung around, they hit other boats, they hit the lock doors, they lost their lines...I hope they had good insurance.  Even with bumpers strategically placed all the way around the boats they still managed to hit areas that weren't protected.

This is Rabelo's home for the next 3 weeks while Wilco is on vacation.  I call it Mosquito Heaven.  Otherwise it is known as St Jean de Losne and you will find us at the Old Lock.

Ok, we don't quite fit!

We visited some of the other local marinas and found people we had met last year, and boats we recognized.  We were able to reconnect with a lovely Australian family we had spent time with in 2012.  Unfortunately, they are in Australia, not here.  Another couple is running a B and B  We had drinks with Steve and he introduced us to a group of barge owners from around the world.  St Jean de Losne is the barge capital of France.  There are many boats our size and quite a few of the owners live on them year round.  We feel so secure here that we put our name on the waiting list to get a permanent mooring when one comes up.  I'll just invest in DEET.

We went out to dinner one night.  This was my view.

I'm still finding time to read at night. The latest book is Sacre Bleu:  A Comedy d'Art by Christopher Moore.  In the beginning the book was charming but it finally became too far fetched.  I loved his depictions of Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, and other artists of that period.  Has anyone else read it?  Comments?