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2013 was an amazing year on board Rabelo. We again traveled through three countries, Holland, Belgium and France. We covered 1415 kilometers (879 miles) with 436 locks and bridges being opened for us. We entertained 26 visitors which is probably more than some hotel barges have. Spending time with our wonderful friends and family who came to visit was a highlight for us. Without your visits I think we might have become homesick.
We enjoyed the unique architecture of the many churches, chateaux, villages and towns we visited. Gueledon, Fontainebleau, Dijon and Beaune were some of the highlights.
We appreciated the dreamy scenery which surrounded us from the flowers, gardens, trees, water and always changing and magnificent sky. We viewed plenty of animals from swans, sheep, chickens, dogs, cows, geese, goats, horses, herons, egrets, pigs, muskrats, ducks and the occasional rat and mouse.
Our travels were educational. We learned about medieval construction, history, art and more. Museums were wonderful. Maybe even a few new words of French were added to our vocabulary.
We had friends, family and more friends.
Food was amazing both on shore as well as on Rabelo. Wine, cheese, baguettes, desserts…more wine…more cheese…beautiful fruits and vegetables…delicious!
We rose to the challenges of living in a country where we didn't speak the language. We learned to shop in a foreign country where we didn't always recognize the foods. We searched out the open markets, covered markets, and of course there were the supermarkets when all else failed.
We know every McDonalds in every city we passed through as we searched for wi-fi.
More friends, more wine, more cheese, more wonderful meals.
We found art in unusual places from along the canals, in the locks, around the villages, as well as museums we discovered along the way.
The canals crossed over and ran along side of rivers, train tracks and roads, and through countless little villages. We went through too many towns and villages to count. Each one was different and unique.
Then there were more visitors, more wine, more cheese and baguettes…
The decorating is slowly coming along on Rabelo.
In our spare time when we aren't walking, shopping/marketing, exploring, sight seeing, moving Rabelo, cooking, eating, or entertaining I write, paint, work on my photography and read. Tom works on his book, writes his blog and also reads. Needless to say the days fly by!
I would like include what our friend Lovita wrote in our guest book:
"Down the canal we barged. Or should we say up from Briare and then down to Montargis - we plied the waters of Canal de Briare. Down the watered path, we passed through hand cranked locks and quietly passed cottages with gardens secreted by watching walls. People appeared from behind closed doors, here and there, to watch us glide by. Dogs barked and waited for their treats, goats ran along side, their extended tummies swaying back and forth, geese clapped their beaks open and shut, waiting for the day old bread. The slender neck of the silver crane extended slowly as it took off to lead the way. All the while the gold and green leaves fluttered down from the trees and drifted along with us on the ever rippling current of milky green water. Can it be any better than this in life - not really."
We enjoyed the unique architecture of the many churches, chateaux, villages and towns we visited. Gueledon, Fontainebleau, Dijon and Beaune were some of the highlights.
We appreciated the dreamy scenery which surrounded us from the flowers, gardens, trees, water and always changing and magnificent sky. We viewed plenty of animals from swans, sheep, chickens, dogs, cows, geese, goats, horses, herons, egrets, pigs, muskrats, ducks and the occasional rat and mouse.
Our travels were educational. We learned about medieval construction, history, art and more. Museums were wonderful. Maybe even a few new words of French were added to our vocabulary.
We had friends, family and more friends.
Food was amazing both on shore as well as on Rabelo. Wine, cheese, baguettes, desserts…more wine…more cheese…beautiful fruits and vegetables…delicious!
We rose to the challenges of living in a country where we didn't speak the language. We learned to shop in a foreign country where we didn't always recognize the foods. We searched out the open markets, covered markets, and of course there were the supermarkets when all else failed.
We know every McDonalds in every city we passed through as we searched for wi-fi.
More friends, more wine, more cheese, more wonderful meals.
We found art in unusual places from along the canals, in the locks, around the villages, as well as museums we discovered along the way.
The canals crossed over and ran along side of rivers, train tracks and roads, and through countless little villages. We went through too many towns and villages to count. Each one was different and unique.
Then there were more visitors, more wine, more cheese and baguettes…
The decorating is slowly coming along on Rabelo.
In our spare time when we aren't walking, shopping/marketing, exploring, sight seeing, moving Rabelo, cooking, eating, or entertaining I write, paint, work on my photography and read. Tom works on his book, writes his blog and also reads. Needless to say the days fly by!
I would like include what our friend Lovita wrote in our guest book:
"Down the canal we barged. Or should we say up from Briare and then down to Montargis - we plied the waters of Canal de Briare. Down the watered path, we passed through hand cranked locks and quietly passed cottages with gardens secreted by watching walls. People appeared from behind closed doors, here and there, to watch us glide by. Dogs barked and waited for their treats, goats ran along side, their extended tummies swaying back and forth, geese clapped their beaks open and shut, waiting for the day old bread. The slender neck of the silver crane extended slowly as it took off to lead the way. All the while the gold and green leaves fluttered down from the trees and drifted along with us on the ever rippling current of milky green water. Can it be any better than this in life - not really."
