Canal archive

Hate t tell you that the Beluga Whale they rescued from the Seine was euthanised on the journey to its new home evidently it developed breathing difficulties. At least they tried.

Looks like Scenic do two nights in Honfluer on their 11 day cruise and 1 night on their 8 day and it’s round trip Paris to Paris.

You’ll be fine your with your BFF!

Schiphol is a major international transfer hub so the knock on effect of a late take off could potentially cause problems across several countries, the Dutch are quite laid back but not when it comes to time keeping.

Not long before ‘C’ there was an horrific accident on the Main, the cruise companies are right to be extremely careful.

Yup the dreaded decimal instead of - oops - Imperial, I still work in both.

With this weather sitting in an air conditioned lounge is most probably preferable!

Your so right Notamermaid our Rhône cruises were both on the warm side - although the temperatures at the moment are certainly beating them. We’re also going to do the Seine cruise again to moor up actually in Honfluer. Pont du Gard on the Rhône is an absolute must not miss and the museum is excellent. You may get the chance to see the reproductions of the ancient cave paintings as we did. Not in the Pont du Gard museum.

Wow done South Africa absolutely wonderful our Mala Mala Safari was exceptional although many moons ago. Didn’t realise there was a river cruise. All of Europes rivers are especial in their own way and deciding which one to go on first is a conundrum that is part of the decision process. Enjoy!

Whale watch latest! France whale: Rescue operation begins to save beluga stuck in Seine https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-62487300

Rhône different landscape and different history but beautiful nevertheless.

The Beluga Whale has been lifted from the river earlier this morning, fingers crossed. I had the absolute privilege of helping to feed a rescued young Beluga Whale in San Diego Sea World many years ago, they are squidgy unlike the young Pilot Whale who was rescued with him his skin was as tight as a drum.

Gourmet Girl you will love the Douro the Portuguese are wonderful the scenery just a little on the wild side, the food superb how they manage to get Port into just about everything is amazing. Try a chilled pink Port on the sun deck in the early evening. Beautiful architecture the tiles are amazing. As you might realise one of my most favourite river cruises. Just a little wilder!

Scenic don’t insist but do welcome the wearing of jackets. I do like a well turned out gentleman. They don’t like shorts at dinner but a decent looking pair at lunch is not frowned upon. I personally think it’s a bit of an insult to your fellow traveler’s to flout the suggested dress code and a compliment to your partner to be as well turned out as you could possibly be. There’s my rant for the moment!

Look in depth at the different providers, excursions are fine but you may get offered an on board exercise not always napkin or towel folding although some of those can be quite good over a cocktail or two. On board exercise Scenic ask that the walking track not be used before 8am it but I’ve taken an early morning stroll with my coffee to find at least 10 individuals practicing their Tai Chi on the top deck. On our two last cruises the on board instructor took early morning yoga and Pilates one morning loads went off with their walking poles, I didn’t realise you needed instructions on how to use them!

With Scenic certainly hairdryers are supplied. I do remember some time ago seeing something about curling/straighteners not being allowed on at least one cruise line something to do with them being an exposed heating surface.

My DH and I have during our longggggggg married life have traveled the U.K. and World extensively in earlier years even when travelling for his company I planned minutely trying to cover ever aspect. What I realise now is this is not really necessarily needed as the travel world has evolved amazingly. We have only done one very short ocean cruise, just enough to put his lordship off for life (it was a business do) so to comment on those would be, well not right. Now river cruising I can comment on and I know we’ve only been with one company and to my mind reading these boards it’s one of the best. Your right in a certain respect it is somewhat regimented. Remember hear I’m an ex Guide Guider and one who took Guides camping. Meals at set times - look at the galley facilities- how do they do it? Excursions herding various nationalities into transport to arrive at a booked destination on time, obvious. Following a tour guide lose the guide they lose their job! Getting back to the vessel on time - the next lock is booked you being late, backs up all the vessels following yours! Now I travel with an all inclusive company if you consider enjoying arranged excursions do the same but you don’t have to go on their excursions, otherwise buy into excursions if and when. BUT and this is a big one if you don’t want what some call regimented be it on all inclusive or not go with your flow don’t forget to be back on board before departure time and enjoy the friendships made with your fellow cruisers. I travel with a company that will even make up a picnic for you to go off into the wide blue yonder with.

Don’t worry with science we only take in what we consider important at the time but look at it this way - and of course I’ve most probably got it completely wrong. Adapter = to adapt something so that it works or fits with something else so it actually could be seen to be a converter as well. Converter is supposed to convert something to to work with something else so it could be an adapter as well. Oh what a wonderfully diverse language we use especially considering that it all comes from a supposedly dead language! Now someone can explain the reason why!

Sometimes a better name would be the ‘star deck’ rather than the ‘sun deck’ that late evening drink in the summer is something special!

Plimsoll - looked up the correct reason it’s the reference to the line on a ships hull showing the safe depth the ship can be loaded to so, - load, - line lowers to water level, -safe, line goes below water level, - unsafe. Now we can all look for the line named after Samual Plimsoll a merchant and an internationally agreed reference. It’s also colloquially a name for a type of gym shoe. Tah-dah 🥱

Would that be the plymsole line?

Oh the language difference, in Europe a couch is anything from a 35 to 50 odd seater, if you go up steps in the middle of the vehicle it will have loo (facilities) and space for luggage. In the U.K. a bus is a double decker, I.e. one row of seats above another as at Lake Havasou City and London Bridge or open toppers now seen world wide. Just watch out if someone says your travelling on a Charabanc!

We have had some of the most amazing cabin stewards and one always left ‘Heroes’ on the pillow each evening which became quite a talking point at breakfast - little things - this young lady also had the most superb singing voice, my husband used to call her his little Dionne!

If I like any particular item from the galley I ask for the recipe so I’ve built up quite a memory file not only from river cruising but around the world.

Very forward thinking!