Canal archive

I’d return to ‘Harry’s Camp South Africa again and again. Wonderful country, people and of course absolutely superb animals.

It’s always worth asking the question don’t hold back you never know. Good luck.

Good old spag bog to the rescue!

Nippy Sweeti I’m dying to know there’s and yours, but what a hoot I suppose it did break the ice though.

Please your all not awkward, strange or picky it’s just the cards you’ve been dealt and I for one am happy I haven’t got the same hand but for the grace of whatever deity you may follow etc. Think how lucky we all are that the conditions have to live with have been realised and across most of the civilised (mentally underlined) world, recognised and been made able to be coped with. Have wonderful trips and superb food.

Mrs Claypool did you ask why? But wow I bet that set you back a bit, I’d loved to have been there. Although yes I’m with you twitchy yes.

Yup we’re building up quite a selection of names for the basement cabins. Of course ‘in the best possible taste’.

May sound a bit cheeky but if you have the ships contact details ask them they must be aware of what is available locally. Good luck!

Not to sure about other lines but with Scenic no problem you should advise them before boarding and there are facilities for you to do this, the restaurant manager will seek you out to discuss your requirements and it’s dealt with. So no reason to discuss on your table although there are many of us who would be interested in the challenges and I suspect there are many. Luckily so far I only have one and that’s with the Merlot grape so imagine my consternation when I realised the challenges this gave me on our Bordeaux cruise with the wonderful help of our lovely wine waiter we sorted it. He discovered something and I happily discovered some absolutely superb wines.

Don’t wish your days away it will be here before you know it.

Not getting into that one! 🤣

I much prefer a gentle aroma than that overpowering smell that is used to cover smells from most body washes and I do include the ones provided on board. I take my own fragrance free.

Well I do feel for you and there goes the French perfume industry but I have yet to see any signs I will look out for them.

Moored up in Bordeaux and after dinner our cruise director invited us to the sun deck for an impromptu duo guitar concert, we actually had two impromptu evenings on the top deck that cruise, wonderful surprise and great evenings.

Love the Australians there always wonderful at putting anyone in their right place love them for their absolute ability to do so. There is absolutely no reason to not talk about previous cruises nearly everyone has a story and those who are cruising for the first time will be enchanted. In an eight table group especially an over the top person could soon be put down or in their place. Don’t worry you’ve got plenty of opportunities to talk to many others on board. Enjoy.

I love this photo and count it as one of my favourites, so worth the early rise. I think it shows just why he painted it so many times, I just wish I had one iota of his talent.

Richard the Lionhart is revered in the history of England and I’ll ask the question ‘why’ he hardly set foot in the country but left his mark across swathes of Europe.

Ohh dear now there’s a pickle barrel of thoughts. Maybe it’s the quality of the fragrance, it should not be intrusive just a slight tickle of the olfactory nerves. Who wants to spend a small fortune on an aroma if one is upsetting others and how on earth do you know. An expert once said it’s not what you smell it’s how you smell! Think about it!

Sharp, crisp, buffed & polished and maybe gentlemen a rather pleasant cologne. Ladies a nice scarf or wrap maybe a little touch of bling and of course a slight aura of perfume. I take mix and match so not a lot of clothes. We’ve never been advised on what not to talk about or what to talk about. You’ll soon realise if your dinning companions are willing to converse some aren't and some can be very shy. You will soon make new acquaintances from all over the globe relax and enjoy.

Go to Giverny first thing in the morning it’s worth getting up early for. When we left the queue at the entrance was huge. The photo of the bridge with no one on it was the bonus.

Ohh it can get you when you least expect it. Just go to see The Gurnica.

Thought I would let you all know ‘we have snow! woke up to a mini white out, slowly dripping now one guy clearing his driveway. Just a little unusual for Wiltshire but I’m not going out to build a snowman although my grandson has decided I should much to the enjoyment of my daughters and son in laws.

Scenic has a small bookcase, board games, sudoko and crossword of the day etc. There is usually something extra for about half maybe slightly less evening entertainment, we’ve had - wait for it - cow bell ringing - you can imagine the raised eyebrows for that one but the joke was on us absolutely spectacular, they actually got people singing to ‘cow bells’. Over the years several other different musical events the first South of France one was, well for me exceptional a group from the Camargue one of the guitarists was a born again Manitas de Plata. We’ve had local folk dancers, singers, musicians one exceptional violinist even if your left cold by a solo violin this young lady was superb. Oh and the quiz often music based. If you don’t want to join in no one is hassled to do so there is plenty of room on board to have a quiet bedtime drink served by a steward and you don’t have to retire to your cabin.

He was just about the best tour guide I’ve ever encountered and when he did his WW1 talk on board it was one the most moving I’ve ever had the privilege to be part of. Not a good photo but this is how he arrived on board.

Now you just have to decide which of his WaterLilies about 250 different paintings you prefer, he outdid Van Gough and his Sun Flowers many times over. It could of course be something to do with trying to achieve perfection. Some of his Water Lily canvases are huge.