Hanging out in Dijon

Spring in France

I planted my flower and herb garden.  Three cherry tomato plants as well

I needed a centerpiece for my outdoor table.  Tom chose the pretty purple flowers  I think my granddaughters would approve.  The flower theme this year is pink, purple and white.

The French loves their dogs.  That they forget to clean up after them is a different story.  We spent two weeks tied up at the marina in Dijon.  We enjoy it there.  There was the hustle and bustle aboard the hotel barges as they prepared for their first charters of the season.  Sanding, painting, refinishing, cleaning and bringing the supplies on board.  We saw plenty of sunburnt young men doing all the outside maintenance. 

Three hotel barges waiting for their guests

An example of the half timbered buildings around Dijon

But I digress.  We were tied up in front of a series of apartment buildings.  While I’m not positive, it appears that one building is for the elderly while another may be for couples and young families.  In other words, there was quite a mix of people and animals. We always saw the same people walking their dogs.  There was a good-looking dwarf with a beagle, and a badly bent over, beautifully dressed wheelchair lady with poodle.  Then there were the young and old with mostly well-behaved dogs of all sizes that came out to walk and romp on the lawns.  The only time it’s quiet is midday.  Everyone disappears.  Lunch is a sacred time in France.  It’s a time for families to be together.  Even the birds quiet down.  Later, people bring their left over baguettes to feed the many birds that live in this marina.  With the baguettes come the bickering and fighting over the bread.  Children squeal in delight and fear over the aggressiveness of the geese and swans.  The island in the middle of the marina seems to be a wildlife refuge.  The ruckus coming from that island is deafening at times.  I’m guessing that the momma birds are all sitting on their nests, and if any other animal (bird) comes near the screaming begins.

Multiple generations hang out in the park by our boat every day

Every day we pass this monument when we walk into Dijon.  We must never forget.

 It’s springtime.  The lawns are covered with tiny yellow and white flowers.  The dandelions are springing to life and taking off.  They tickle my nose and eyes.  They soar and tumble and fly into my boat to land on the carpets and corners of the rooms.  It’s awful for allergy suffers such as myself.  According to the news the pollen is the highest since 1993.  Alerts are posted for May and especially June.  I hope I have enough antihistamines to get me through the next two months.

Flowers blooming all over the lawns

Dandelions ready to take off with the slightest breeze

We saw plenty of Muskrats swimming around the marina

With such a spectacular (and unusual) spring Tom and I have been going for long walks.  I insist on getting in my 10,000 steps whenever possible.  We’ve had weather from the high 80’s with sunshine to the low 60’s with rain.  We foolishly started one late morning and went for a beautiful walk along the Burgundy Canal.  It was 87 F and I started fading.  Before we turned around we checked Trip Advisor and saw that there was a nice restaurant just ¼ mile further.  We continued walking and found a beautiful restaurant and had a delicious meal.  Once we were rested, refreshed and refueled the walk back wasn’t bad at all.

Restaurant p'tit repere du gout

My lunch of eggs in a delicious (and unusual) wine sauce.   

It’s interesting to note that many children from a young age are wearing sunglasses.  It’s good to see that the parents are protecting their children’s eyes from the UV rays that can cause so much damage. 

One of our walks

We never tire of our walks along the canals

With such spectacular spring weather we have been taking many of our meals up on deck.  The French being ever so polite all wish us a “bon apetite” as they walk by.  It’s charming.

Tom with a Rustic baguette and dessert

Sometimes we can't wait until we return to Rabelo before nibbling on the baguette 

We discovered that a boulangerie in Dijon carried my favorite baguette which is Rustic. It’s a 1.7 mile walk from our boat to the boulangerie and back.  That’s 3700 steps which goes towards my 10,000 daily steps.  You should understand that there are two boulangerie with perfectly decent baguettes within a 2-3 minute walk from the boat.  But noooo, I want my Rustic baguette.  Tom humored me and every day we did our morning trek into Dijon for my special baguette (and evening pastry while we’re at it).

My favorite boulangerie in Dijon 

We celebrated Philippe's birthday while in Dijon

We had to leave Dijon and return to St Jean de Losne.  We saw our favorite lock keeper.  It was nice catching up with him.

Our favorite lock keeper Jean-Marc 

The French haven’t given up their cigarettes or the nasty habit of tossing butts on the ground.  There are 30 billion cigarette butts thrown on the ground a year.  It takes 15 years for them to deteriorate.  The government is attempting to create an anti-waste plan.  At the same time they are trying to convince the tobacco manufacturers to launch a recycle program and participate financially in the collection of these butts. 350 tonnes of megots (butts) are collected in Paris alone each year.

Our fleet loaded up and ready for the journey back to St Jean de Losne 

Mustard fields and spectacular clouds along the Burgundy Canal

An artist is carving totem poles which will line the Burgundy Canal

We see wood piles regularly along the canal.

A Lock House

Another Lock House along the Burgundy Canal.  

Some lock house owners decorate the area around the locks

Arriving back in Saint Jean de Losne we found this momma goose faithfully tending her eggs.  She is constantly turning and moving her eggs to keep them warm.  She doesn't leave her nest any more.