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Canal archive

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  1. My DH worked for a German company and was asked if he would try to learn German, ever the marketing man, he did, one to one and eventually over the telephone always with the same tutor. He thoroughly enjoyed it and the first exhibition (which shock horror I went to ostensibly to aid with looking after customers wives) he went to after a time his German colleagues realised he could and did understand and speak at least some German. They were horrified why, well we will leave that to them, but they tried and tried to work out which part of Germany his tutor came from! Well I told him you stories about speaking and the area the different dialects come from so he told me the answer, his tutor was English and had first learnt German backpacking around Germany she then tidied it up at college, work that one out.
  2. I just happen to be a very proud born and bred Londoner who has for years lived outside of the metropolis, now for over 20 years in the beautiful county of the White Horses. I also know mainland Scotland quite well and I agree Eurostar is a bit off the beaten track for you. A friend who lived in your part of the world who didn’t fly for whatever reason used to - overnight train - to London then Eurostar she really enjoyed it.
  3. Look for the Jewish shoe memorial on the bank of the Danube in Budapest simple but very moving.
  4. Yup they look just a bit more up for the job and I must admit I thought loose power loose steerage. Still a really nasty disaster.
  5. Greydog I absolutely love your expression - exudes mild enthusiasm- brilliant, with your permission may I use it in the future?
  6. Difficult to decide as if all reports are correct the ship ‘simply’ lost all power and with it eight lives! Using tugs may or may not help but even they can lose power with no notice. I doubt there is a Dolphin in this world strong enough to deflect that size of vessel she is huge and already travelling at speed at the time of her power failure, the cause of that has to be discovered and the bridge engineers should look into why the whole bridge collapsed like a pack of cards. You never know there may have been a fault that is in all or many bridges of this type that has yet to be identified. A very disturbing incident hopefully some lessons will be learnt from it so those lives lost will in future have some meaning.
  7. Why not ask the company the question? In this instance you, fingers crossed, May get a pleasant surprise.
  8. Here is a conundrum for all of you gardening cruisers. My blue bells have been cultivated from my mums last two gardens they are English not French but over the last few years those in the front of the house are now almost all white whilst those in the back are still blue. I’ve searched the internet and asked this question many times but have found no clear answer, can anyone help.
  9. Daffodils finished as are the Snowdrops but it looks like the Bluebells are going to be superb.
  10. What is even more disturbing is they didn’t use to be, okay you had to look but it was all there. Do you think it’s something to do which the qlitches last year? Plus haven’t they just announced changes in how they talk about their cabins. I’m beginning to think I’ve had the best years of what used to be an excellent company which now seems to have been taken over by dolts. I can understand them directly employing their staff but I have a horrible feeling they are letting their cruise directors have to much control, they are not directly employed and switch between cruises as they require and decide. Over the years we’ve watched their various captains grow and gain experience (there must be something with the company because they stay) we watched the young man on the Douro Cruise gain his experience with the company from our first Seine cruise to being more qualified than the full Captain as he returned to the ship to navigate through the Napoleon bridge, whilst on our second Seine cruise two of the captains gained their qualifications to navigate Honfluer harbour. I’m beginning to think a ********* company starting to go to pot.
  11. dolphinlover98 I envy you Sagrada Familia looks to have at last shed most of it’s scaffolding and it’s nearly finished, you’ll be able to go up the hill Montjuic and stroll La Rambla. Enjoy, I will be with you in spirit.
  12. We had ours changed once by Air France, for our first south oh France cruise, we were supposed to be returning to Bristol (driving ourselves there) a few days before our landing city was changed to Birmingham, well they did both start with a B but that was the only resemblance nearly 100 miles apart and our car wasn’t there. At that time Scenic were absolutely excellent, I don’t think we were the only ones. Air France had decided to stop their direct flights with no consideration for their bookings. Let’s just say a few feathers were certainly ruffled. So yes I’d agree, a bit like measuring - check check and check again.
  13. Great the challenge these days is to be aware and take care. Hope you get to work it all.
  14. No but we’ve just sold our cottage/lodge in the highlands and one of our first ports of call when going there was The Whisky Castle in Tomintool for our water of life requirements.
  15. I’ve found the French quite pleasant as long as they’re not in Paris! 😆
  16. Gin is definitely not my tipple makes me really dour but Scotch I’m happy to taste for as long as it’s available. On one memorable evening (which shows we didn’t lose it) we drunk the ship out of Lagavulin not everyone appreciates it but it was certainly a smooth drop. At one time The Scenic bar always had a cocktail of the day which of course had to be tasted it would have been rude to not to!
  17. Now Porto is a small compact interesting city not a bustle in sight. Salamanca is similar! Some of these small European cities are really quaint no fuss no bother wonderful eatery’s and bars and occupants who actually have time to stop and chat. Or go out to the countryside to the local villages it’s well worth it. I really don’t do big cities now but at heart I’m a Londoner born and bred I remember full well following my mum through the inner city at first really scary but I soon got used to it as our capitol city is really an amalgamation of small villages and towns.
  18. We Eurostared it for our South of France cruise that was London to Lyon and return but I’m not to sure if they still offer this service. What may be of interest to Mrs P would be to have your luggage couriered it has to go a bit before and arrives back after you do and of course you to pay but it’s absolutely brilliant no cases to lug around they arrived on time really good service this was for our Seine cruise.
  19. Pontac I tried to find an emogie that was - laughing, crying, tearing its hair out and sticking its tongue out at the same time but failed, so my advice - should you wish to take it - keep on whatever hair you have left and do what us Brits always attempt to do - chin up and carry on, think a certain wonderful suite of films!
  20. Not a surprise, Evergreen as a brand is better known in Australia so consolidating across the continents seems rather good business sense to me, but what do I know.
  21. Excellent cafe/bar opposite the square across from the school depending on the time of year for some reason the patron really enjoys practicing his English, interesting guy.
  22. Search on line for a make you fancy then check their website for stockists I’m pretty sure a reputable company would not recommend a dud. You could even email them re their suppliers. Good luck.
  23. I know with Apple if you have an IPad and an IPhone if you take a photograph with one it will automatically also appear on the others photo cache, well it does on mine, I love that spooky arrangement. If you have a camera which uses memory cards there is a piece of kit to transfer the card contents to an iPad. I’m most probably teaching my grandmother to suck eggs here but I don’t like using my iPad to take photographs but it is useful to check them more closely.
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