Cruising the Burgundy Canal from St Jean de Losne to Dijon, France

My tomato plants went crazy in my absence.  Time for a major pruning.

It was wonderful being back on Rabelo.  My garden missed me.  The tomatoes  and herbs needed tending.  Many plants had drowned with all the rain we had while in Chamonix. 

 It felt good being able to cook in a real kitchen again. Everyone that comes aboard Rabelo is always impressed with how complete my kitchen is, especially the French.

We discovered ripe cherry trees along the canal.  We needed two cups so I could make my cherry clafoutis. Philippe was an enthusiastic cherry picker.  We didn't pick enough cherries at the first stop, so at another lock we found more trees.  There we found both tart and Queen Anne cherries (which weren't ripe yet).  The tart cherries were so ripe the juice was running down my arms.  When friends (Pete and Amanda come for dinner tomorrow night they get the rewards of our labors.

Tom anad Philippe did a great job of picking cherries.

We are serious about our cherry picking!  We brought out a ladder from Rabelo and Philippe went up the tree to pick more cherries.

We found two different types of cherries.

Langre Tart for lunch.

The reward for picking lots of cherries.  Cherry Clafoutis for our friends coming to dinner.

Tom picked up some bicycle riders along the way.  A father with his two daughters were watching Rabelo going through a lock.  Tom couldn't resist inviting them for a ride.  We brought them on board along with their bicycles.  Tom even let the two young girls drive.  They were a delightful family.

Manon driving Rabelo while Clementine and their father Mickael watch.

I've been reading about the butter shortage in France.  We've now experienced it first hand!  Butter is very important to the french.   They normally consume 18 pounds of butter per person per year.  Normally the butter aisle in the markets are huge.  There are various brands and types of butter.  There is the sweet butter (deux) which has no salt.  Then there is the demi-sel which is lightly salted.  Finally there is the salted butter...my favorite.  The salt for the salted butter comes from different areas.  It's the salt crystals that give the wonderful little bursts of flavor.  It's tough deciding between the butter from Noirmoutier or from Guerande.

So why the butter shortage?  Now that fat is no longer considered the nutritional enemy it once was, there is an increased worldwide demand for butter.  Producers are struggling to keep up.  Developing countries and some new countries (such as China) are now importing butter.  In France part of the problem is the rigid pricing and distribution system.  Supermarkets are refusing to pay higher prices because the butter prices are fixed annually.  That means the suppliers will sell their butter abroad.  I've read that there were emergency negotiations and the retailers are accepting an increase in prices.  I personally am still seeing half empty butter shelves.  Sacré buerre!

Which salted butter is better?

 May was an interesting month in France for weather.  The most lightning strikes in history were recorded!  155,000 bursts.

A beautiful day for cruising along the Burgundy Canal.  The pilot house is lowered as we prepare to go under a bridge and into a lock.

 We saw the French air force practicing as we cruised by their airfield.  It was noisy but exciting to watch.

Lock 62 with the French Air Force practicing.  You can see them just above the lock house.

Ecluse (Lock) 62 has an amazing museum created by someone called Alain.  We could visit at no charge so I rapidly jumped off Rabelo as she was going through the lock, found Alain (?) and was allowed in to tour the museum.  He had an extensive collection of WWI and WWII momentos plus so much more.  He presented a beautiful history of the lock house which also meant the surrounding area.

Our invitation to view Le Museum d' Alain.

A collection of very old original edition books.

An eclectic collection of miniature vehicles.

The museum has items I couldn't understand.

Old wine bottles throughout the museum, some from Ecluse 62

Honestly the collection was endless.

Includes were old photographs.  Here were two fisherman showing off their catch of the day from the canal.

There were touching photographs.  Here were newlyweds in front of the ecluse (perhaps their home?)

A view of the museum from only part way in.

The Ecluse as it is today.  The museum is around the back of the ecluse.

 Continuing along the Burgundy Canal was an exhibit of international artists.

Artwork from various artists displayed along the canal.

An expert wood carver displaying his art.

The lock keeper is opening one of the doors to the lock for us to continue our journey.

The totem pole we last saw being carved is now proudly displayed.