River Cruising Water Cooler

[14ersco]

16 hours ago, notamermaid said:

@14ersco Autumn in Prague sounds lovely. I can imagine that there are fewer crowds still, even in Prague. It is still quieter than usual as regards international tourists along the Rhine.

 

Are you on a land trip or add-on to a river cruise?

 

notamermaid

 

notamermaid, First thanks for your informative posts. As newbies to river cruises they have been helpful.  We are on the way to an AMA cruise in the opposite direction as taken by sleep7.  DIY in Prague and currently on train to Budapest.  Our Prague guide said crowds were about one-fifth of normal, but picking up past couple months. She was looking forward to the Christmas market. 

[notamermaid]

@14ersco Thank you, I am happy to read that my posts haven been helpful. Great river cruise itinerary, I hope you have the most pleasant time. I can very much imagine people looking forward to the Christmas markets, both for business and joy. I do the same, mostly for joy though. Although - I may be needed to do some extra hours, more Christmas market travel means more tourists around here as well. But I do not mind. I shall get my Christmas jumper out and iron it...

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

This has just been reported in the U.K. fingers crossed it really works.
 

First pill to treat Covid gets approval in UK https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59163899

[notamermaid]

Thank you for that link. Sounds promising. I wonder what happened to the other "-vir" medicines/substances, those that the algorithms found last year as promising candidates for treatment? Cannot even remember their names now...

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

Keep well Notamermaid just reading in the news that your infection rate is rising. I wonder if it was a mistake not making masks mandatory when inside as much as possible. I gave a presentation yesterday at a retirement home not a mask insight apart from one member of staff. 

[notamermaid]

@Canal archive Thanks for your wishes. Yup, things not going too well. Sadly, rhetoric getting more divisive. I do not like being told what to do (I have always been a person to question all kinds of things) and I do not enjoy telling people what to do (unless it is illegal of course or has an immediate thread like not wearing a mask while passing me in the office and coughing). I have found some harsh words for England in the past, I know. I will say the same for people around here. They feel too safe. When I wear a mask in town I am one of the few who actually put it on when close to people outdoors. Indoors, almost everyone seems to be doing so. We still have regulations for masks indoors. We mix too much. Our elderly are statistically exposed to too many chains of people IMO. You know, nurse, her daughter, her boyfriend, his buddy, that buddy's mother whose a physiotherapist in another home, etc. All chance or planned encounters of vaccinated people (the majority of them now). That is a gamble that looked fine in Spring when vaccines came, it is a gamble that is not paying off now as well as we would have liked. Talking of office. I have a problem: I am supposed to go to a staff meeting on Monday and I am getting panicky. There will be food and drink which means I am supposed to join in with talking without a mask on. Fifteen people, fifteen potential chains. I do not care if they are vaccinated or not. I desperately want to keep a family member safe but I do not want to cause problems at work. I am okay hiding behind a mask on a daily basis, but that meeting with my colleagues who may not have worn masks lately scares me now. We have a big conference room, but it is the buffet that worries me.

 

I have still no intention of going to England, but I am not so eager to go to any place for leisure right now. I went to an outdoor event at the weekend and I feel as if I "have dodged a bullet" as it is Friday and I am still feeling fine. Exaggerated or not, I prefer to be vigilant. I am not going to a restaurant or office party this year, I have no intention of not being able to taste the gingerbread because my sense of smell and taste have gone.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Deep breath - onto calmer waters, the canals of England.

 

Travels through Britain part 4

 

As I have friends living near Stockport, I have been to the area several times and enjoyed walks along the canals. Some years ago we visited the flight of locks at Marple and the Marple aqueduct. Right next to the aqueduct is the viaduct carrying the Hope Valley railway line. This is the viaduct seen from the path at the locks: https://www.peaksandpuddles.com/cycle-routes/lower-peak-forest-canal-marple-locks/#&gid=1&pid=43

 

I love railways, viaducts, and Roman aqueducts (for drinking water). This aqueduct for narrowboats is the next best thing. This is the viaduct as seen from the aqueduct:

 

And then a train passed over it, needless to say I was delighted:

 

A panel explains all about the gentleman and the engineering feat of locks and the aqueduct which carries the Peak Forest Canal:

 

Below flows the river Goyt. It does not come across well in the photo, but it is quite a way down:

 

100 feet according to the plaque:

 

This is the part where the flight of Marple locks starts, but looking in another direction, I think it is towards Macclesfield and the junction of the two canals is where I am standing in the photo:

 

 

There is a bridge specially designed for the tow horses:

 

I enjoyed that walk very much. Coming from a huge river that admittedly still has the tow paths, if only in name and vague outline, but does not give the impression of ever having been used by traditional shipping, this is quite different. History and traditions of river traffic are somewhat closer to me on the canals of England with their small locks and narrowboats. Would love to see a tow horse in action.

 

Please feel free to fill any gaps about this place my memory has left or has just got wrong over the years.

 

The Peak District is a fascinating area and I look forward to going there again. Perhaps one year I will see a steam train on the viaduct. Now that would be fascinating!

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Canal archive]

If you like walking the Peak District is the place to go it’s beautiful. Glad you enjoyed it  Notamermaid. The bridge is called a ‘Turnover Bridge’. The Upper Peak Forest canal is especially beautiful, the banks are like that quintessential English picture. The Pontcysylite Aqueduct carries the Llangollen canal over the river but is also used to move water from town to town as in Roman aqueducts. The area is a World Heritage Site. It has been said that our canal system could be used to move water to parts of the country as needed how’s that for Georgian engineering.

Tank you for the memories Notamermaid 

[Coral]

On 10/19/2021 at 11:38 AM, notamermaid said:

@Coral Have not noticed any posts or like buttons for some time from her. Wondered about our dog lover and owner myself the other day.

 

Many just enjoy reading in the background but that is not really like her I would say... ☺️  I hope the reason is just that - reading in the background and being busy with the furry friends.

 

notamermaid

 

I did hear from @dogs4fun. She is indeed spending time with her furry animals. 

[lyndarra]

13 hours ago, Canal archive said:

The bridge is called a ‘Turnover Bridge’.

The purpose of this type of bridge is for tow horses to cross to the otherside of the canal without having to unhitch from their barge. 

[lyndarra]

The Marple area is very picturesque.

We did some Geocaching along the towpath down the Macclesfield.

[Canal archive]

We last cruised that area many years ago with friends we owned a narrowboat with and as we were all four still working moved it and kept it moored at various places around the system that way we eventually visited more different canals. Narrowboating is a slow gentle sport.

[notamermaid]

On 11/9/2021 at 5:56 PM, Canal archive said:

The bridge is called a ‘Turnover Bridge’.

Thanks for that. I had not thought of a need to switch sides for a horse. On my huge river that would not work I think... No idea if sides were ever "switched". The tow path is sometimes on the left and sometimes on the right along the Rhine, I wonder how they determined when to have one where? Must look into that.

 

On 11/9/2021 at 5:56 PM, Canal archive said:

If you like walking the Peak District is the place to go it’s beautiful.

I agree, the landscape is fascinating, from gentle and green to rugged and quite barren. I have been to many places up and down the Peak District. Many people flock to the Lake District but I must admit, while it is beautiful, it does not resonate as much with me as the Peak District does. Would love to do a steamer trip on Ullswater, though. Perhaps I will do that on Lake Constance instead. It is a pity Lake Constance is not really a pre-cruise standard with companies.

 

Today, I have been able to be right at the embankment on the Rhine when the sun set. It was beautiful, a bit foggy, but that made it special. I was not in Koblenz but what I saw was similar to what you can see on the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress webcam. Really, really nice.

 

notamermaid

 

[jpalbny]

6 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

It is a pity Lake Constance is not really a pre-cruise standard with companies.

 

A beautiful area. We drive Chris's Audi around it for a day, back in 2014. We stayed in Lindau, but stopped in Wasserburg, Freidrichshafen, Meersburg, and Konstanz on our way around the lake.

[lyndarra]

On 11/10/2021 at 3:12 AM, notamermaid said:

Would love to see a tow horse in action.

 

 

If you happen to visit Llangollen in Wales there is a horse drawn canal boat for fee paying rides. That's the only place I've seen a horse drawn boat. There could be others.

[notamermaid]

On 11/9/2021 at 5:56 PM, Canal archive said:

The Pontcysylite Aqueduct carries the Llangollen canal over the river but is also used to move water from town to town as in Roman aqueducts. The area is a World Heritage Site.

It looks highly interesting.

23 hours ago, lyndarra said:

If you happen to visit Llangollen in Wales there is a horse drawn canal boat for fee paying rides.

Thanks.

 

That makes two votes for the Llangollen canal, this is turning into a "notamermaid just has to visit this" place! I very much like Wales, I have actually been close to or through Llangollen as the A5 road goes through it. I crossed Wales that way coming back from around Conway on a trip.

 

It has been very foggy today, even more than yesterday. Proper "Waschküche", laundry room, we use that word as a colloquial synonym for fog, the image of steam that used to fill laundry rooms where textiles were washed in very hot water.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

Another horse drawn boat is on the Great Western Tiverton Canal the horse loves mints but only one kind and I cannot remember if it’s Extra Strong or Polo mints.

I think most horses like mints I know a friend of ours who owns a racing stable orders them by the pallet load.

[notamermaid]

On 11/12/2021 at 2:28 PM, Canal archive said:

Another horse drawn boat is on the Great Western Tiverton Canal the horse loves mints but only one kind and I cannot remember if it’s Extra Strong or Polo mints.

I think most horses like mints I know a friend of ours who owns a racing stable orders them by the pallet load.

Thanks. Horses eating mints, never heard of that. Must be this one: https://www.devon.gov.uk/grandwesterncanal/

 

As we are kind of on the topic of food. I love mince pies. Unfortunately, they are very difficult to get this year. I have tried several suppliers, they are either not available or only the very cheap type. If anyone happens to be in the Middle Rhine valley soon perhaps you could bring me a packet... Only joking, but I have got used to them so much that Advent is not the same without them.

 

That reminds me. On a happier note: I have bought the first "Oblatenlebkuchen"! Will post a photo soon to show what they are, I know, I am brutal, if you cannot buy them yourself, it will be hard to look at.

 

notamermaid

 

[CPT Trips]

8 hours ago, notamermaid said:

 

 

As we are kind of on the topic of food. I love mince pies. Unfortunately, they are very difficult to get this year. I have tried several suppliers, they are either not available or only the very cheap type. If anyone happens to be in the Middle Rhine valley soon perhaps you could bring me a packet... Only joking, but I have got used to them so much that Advent is not the same without them.

 

notamermaid

 

Verdammt Brexit!

[Canal archive]

The horse on the canal at Tiverton is huge he’s a Shire, hooves like dinner plates. Notamermaid I’ve got a few recipes for mince pies that are well tried and tested. I usually make my Christmas ones in a few weeks time and freeze them so that the alcohol content matures, defrost and warm up ready for a good dollop of cream, or for some custard. I can send the recipe as I’m not to sure that sending the real thing is allowed. 

[notamermaid]

7 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

Verdammt Brexit!

Unfortunately, yes. One supplier lists all those lovely things, from orange marmalade and tea to English mints and Christmas cards. I can get marmalade in the supermarket, tea from a different supplier or the "South American river I swamp everyone else" website, leave the English mints alone and use German Christmas cards. But when I fill my virtual shopping trolley and click on delivery to Germany my trolley content diminishes by 30 to 50 percent. At that point I want to jump into the computer and strangle that kobold which stands there sniggering and says "you cannot have that". 😒

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

So far I’ve had absolutely no problem sourcing and European delicacy some may take a few days longer than before. We as nations before the EU had no problem so why now! Although some would say we don’t produce anything of note - ho ho. Must go have to watch the most moving ceremony of the year.

[notamermaid]

@Canal archive Yes it is the time of poppy wearing again I saw on television. We do not do this here but the week leading up to this Sunday is a time of reflection of all sorts of sad events. This, like in the Anglo-American realm, culminates in today's commemorations and remembrance, Volkstrauertag. At 1.30pm our time is the official ceremony in parliament in Berlin.

 

notamermaid

 

[Daisi]

Oblatenlebkuchen - one "treat" that used to be sent over in tins that I never acquired a taste for.   

 

Haven't checked on the UK shops here,, but we were in our local little Dutch shop and they sure weren't short of supplies.  I see through posts on my Face Book that several of my UK stores have big shipments in of pies (ok, some they actually make in store), chocolate & other sweets...would you like to try shopping from Canada @notamermaid? 🙂

[CPT Trips]

Doesn’t the Elferrat convene on 11 November in many areas of Germany?