Canal archive

Budapest is hosting the World Athletics Championships so just a few views of the river and other sights brings back memories

It was exceptionally hot when we did this cruise and when the weather broke, boy did it rain wow then it stormed wonderfully. The only challenges I have ever heard of on the Saone and Rhône is that one of the bridges in Lyon gets lower when the water levels rise and has some time ago caused a few challenges.

Scenic don’t do ‘french balconies’ but do have a ‘happy’ medium where full balconies are concerned. (Although no balconies in Aquarium/Swans view cabins, as on all vessels - I hope). The balcony is separated from the main cabin by a bifold door, there are also two curtains hung together, one beige and one dark (black out) so it is entirely possible to leave the bi-fold open hence no so called loss of space. The raise and lower glass screen on the upper half of the balcony is a nifty innovation when lowered the air con automatically switches off one of their nods to a greener environment. Yes of course Jazz I also enjoy a larger cabin if not available (which has happened) I go for the Diamond deck, more forward if possible. If you can’t sort them out (and why should you) ask your butler to sort it but remember to ask him/her or yourself to remind your best friend on the crew during your cruise your cabin steward not to close it.

Agree could be interesting.

Thank you CruiseIreland Vienna is one of my favourite cities not least because it is so easy to get around, pity it was so hot, very debilitating.

Just a silly little point hulls do deteriorate and depending on what fabric they are constructed from some faster than others. Hull inspections should be carried out regularly regardless of the size of the vessel. That’s not to say the ex Crystal vessels have a problem and now that they are owned by - yes I will say it - a great seafaring nation I’m sure they are in safe hands. Also not all specialist hotel groups are from the USA, this is a niche market maybe not frequented by the super rich but kept under the radar by those who know.

Just realised I’d not finished off our Seine Cruise - been off galavanting with the family. We had a slight hiccup with our email, caused by we were led to believe by that age old thorn Apple won’t speak to Microsoft and vice-versa. Scenic still seem to be having hangover challenges with their hacking attack earlier in the year. All of our holiday was special the Scenic crew were exceptional one of our best ever. On our arrival they had no Lagavulin Single malt on board, one of my favourites this was a Saturday it was behind the bar by Monday. Okay silly things but when all of the staff go out of their way to ensure your holiday is the best it can be. Regardless of how ill I was my DH was the best. One of our fellow cruisers asked if I felt I’d wasted my money not being able to take many of the excursions, thinking about it a resounding no as when I was well enough I had a wonderful time and would go again and again and again. Happy cruising all.

Thanks for the photos ahhh memories!

Oh just shove the ubiquitous apostrophe in then that will cause no end of troubles or trouble’s. 🤪

High humidity levels here which I find more debilitating that straight forward hot 🥵

Be careful we ran into a hiccup when doing the Scenic end of cruise report and our provider BT decided it was spam and closed my account. On our return home we got it sorted evidently BT doesn’t like Apple and I was using my iPad. I thought that kind of thinking Apple v Microsoft went out with the dinosaurs.

Rheingold brewery New York 1883 - 1976 now still being made I think.

Exactly got it in one I’ve never seen it transcribed but I think this is it in English. There were thirty three little birds sitting on a kerb burping and chirping and chewing worms when along came Dirty Girty from the gasworks see’s the thirty three little birds sitting on the kerb burping and chirping and chewing worms and was greatly perturbed. All course absolute nonsense or is it?

It will be interesting to see if Riverside can keep up Crystals preserved quality.

One of the hotel boutique barges on the canal du Nivernais they look pretty neat but I preferred our DIY system, although France and the local villages in particular were having a hard time recovering from covid.

Ohh yuk! My mum was a Wren in Portsmouth during WW2 - that’s how she met my dad, that’s another story. She and friends met some American GIs one evening I believe from the New York area, (as you do!) and one taught her this little ditty, a bit difficult to interpret with predictive text but here goes. Der were tirty tre lil brds sitin on a kirb burpin and chirpin and chewin wirms girty sees the lil birds and was grtly perturbed. Why this was shared I really do not know but but Mum taught it to me and all these years later I still remember it. There’s a repeat in there somewhere I know but I’ve never been to New York so who knows.

Most probably a stupid question but will Ravel stay on the Rhône?

Paris is my second favourite working city my first of course is the city of my birth London. All the rest heritage and history rule. Of course after those two there are so many to choose from.

Of course it is, silly me!

Now is it Tennis or Badminton? We did consider trying skittles on the top of a Narrowboat once but thought better of it and discarded the idea.

I could lead that tour - well maybe not around Paris but around London. My car for 14 years was a Deux Chevaux or two horses my version was a Dolly - rhubarb & custard the most wonderful car ever. The engine went on and on and never failed me until one fateful day when it shed a fan blade, an obviously well informed man stopped to help and asked when I last filled up with water! but bits fell off frequently, the indicator arm off the steering wheel holder usually when negotiating a round about. The window clips hence the pictures of the car with flapping windows. Maybe you could shoot peas through it but it got me all around the U.K. to Girl Guide events and of course camp. Just be careful if you approach one going at ‘speed’ along a motorway as it sways they have fully independent suspension you will not believe the angles that super car can achieve. I eventually sold her because in giving my DH a lift somewhere he decided it was decidedly unsafe for his DW, there are not many cars that after 14 years you get three times as much as you paid for it. Last time I heard it may have been going to Australia on a 2CV invades trip.

Mandy’s assistant with us was Spanish and basically training she’ll get it sorted, just needs a bit more positivity. At the end of our cruise Mandy was off for the full next cruise and her opposite number from the Bordeaux cruise was taking over, evidently they are good friends and swap over occasionally for a change of view and not to get to set in their ways. Seemed a good idea to me.

RDVIK216 ohh do we have Canada geese especially on our canals they leave their poo especially on landing stages either side of Locks so working them especially when it’s been raining - rain & goose pooh is a very slippery mixture - can be an hazardous experience. Although here is a very coy Egyptian goose turning away from my camera along the K & A Canal.

Sometimes it’s more the differences in tone and emphasis that causes the challenges in understanding my dad was renowned for pinpointing an area of Portsmouth someone was from by their intonation. Portsmouth is a small well populated island so if that has so many potential dialects think of the rest of the world - wow!

Got it in one the day started the evening before with a few niggles about the time we had to leave but it paid off in spades we were first through the group door and that’s how I pretty sure everyone got that oh so important photograph. I’m so glad we’re now digital I wouldn’t like to think how much film I would have pushed through my camera to ensure I got that shot. When we finally left the place was packed and the entrance queue was way way long, made the coffee and cake even more welcome and back on board many thanks to our CD for insisting on the early start.