Sheena with us, outside the church of Flavigny
Missy stumbling outside from the wheelhouse.
The upside down boat structure helped to prevent collapse.
The contemplative cloister.
One of the many virgins.
The hammer end of the forge.
The side attached to the water wheel.
We drove back to the boat and had lunch. There was charcuterie, a quiche with spinach and olives, wild rice salad with sweeet corn, a salad with radishes, carrots and cauliflower, and butter cookies with white and dark chocolate.
The weather started to drizzle on and off, but in between times the kids and I biked between three locks. We rode through two little villages. The first, Perrigny-sur-Armancon, had a barn that was converted to an artist's gallery, and the friendly proprieterist let us walk through. There was honey made by her father. She had a bunch of handmade wool and cashmere objects for sale. There were also a collection of cardboard statues and paintings on the wall. The next town Cry-sur-Armancon, didn't have anything in particular about it, but it was as picaresque as anything around here. There was going to be a theatrical performance in a small park - - cost 7 EU, bring your own cushion, drink and food. On the ride we saw magpies, pied wagtails, a red kite, European goldfinch, swallows, a kingfisher, possibly a green finch, frogs, dragon and damselflies, blackbirds. We also some low flights from French Mirages, who are based in Dijon.
We hung out on the moving boat the rest of the afternoon. We were momentarily stuck on the bottom. The level of the water in the canal is okay, but there are areas were it is silted and weeded up. I watched a goofy french movie on Vercingetroix with Christopher Lambert and Max von Sydow. We stopped in Ravieres, a limestone quarry town and walked about a bit. For dinner we had smoked duck with apple compote, a cheese souffle, a white fish (Julien?) on potatos, camembert and a cheddar-y, aged gouda-y mountain cheese, and a white chocolate cheesecake. For wine we had a sauvingon blanc and a cabernet from the same vinyard.
After dinner we played Munchkins. I won! In fact, last night we played traps and treasures, and I won both games. I also played 4-handed cribbage (Lucas and me against Jasper and Cindy) and won, as well as some game Lucas learned at camp. I am on a hot streak!
Weds July 28
Yesterday the barge sailed up from Ravieres to Ancy-le-Franc. Cindy and I took a brief bike ride - - about 3 km. We went past a giant field of sunflowers, and past a cow pasture that had about six grey herons. We also saw kingfishers and either blue or great tits. There were many wild flowers growing along the tow path, and a variety of wild fruit trees, at least cherries, apples, and plums. It really seems that you could just drop any kind of seed around here and it would grow. Cindy wanted to watch the lock operation. This particular lock had an electric pushbutton operation. The French governement had briefly toyed with making all the locks automatic, but it turned out that you still needed lock keepers. I had a brief conversation with the lock keeper, who had cut her thumb. When the Elisabeth came into view, the lock keeper had a long conversation with Peter. It turned out that an old lady down river had died in her home several days ago, and had only recently been found.
We docked at Ancy-le-Franc, and for lunch piled into the bus and rode about ten minutes rearward where we ate at a restaurant (we think it was Emma's day off). I had a salad with ham and andouillete, and trout menuiere for lunch. Lucas had an appetizer of escargot cooked in wine (de Burgogne). The kids all had omelettes with french fries. Cindy had a faux filet in peppercorn sauce. Cindy had tarte aux pommes for dessert, the rest of us had ice cream. We had an excellent white wine for lunch, but neither of us cared for the red.
After lunch we changed into bathing suits, and drove rearward back to Cry-sur-Armancon, where we rented kayaks (a double for Nickki and me, and for Cindy and Jaz; Lucas had a single). We went upriver briefly so we could shoot a tiny rapids, and then we went about forty minutes down the placid river until we came to a waterfall. Then we turned around and went back up river. We saw some common sandpipers, kingfishers, etc. On the way back a herd of cows came into the river just as we were going by. We were slightly worried that they were going to stampede us!
We drove back to the boat. Nicola and I took a ten minute walk to visit the chateau of Ancy-le-Franc http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_d . We were serenaded by a man practising the french hunting horn under the plane-tree lined drive on our way in. It was too late to enter the chateau, but we were able to walk the grounds. The chateau is square, with a door in the middle of each side. It is four stories high and mounted by a mansard roof. The doors are marked by the crossed keys of St Peter. Apparently, the builder of the chateau had helped the Avingnon pope return to Rome. He was also the brother in law of the King's favorite mistress, and had become a finance minister. The chateau was built by Italians, and is the only 'pure' renaissance chateau in France - - nothing has been added or taken away. We saw some pictures of the interior which looked very fine, with inlaid marble floors, etc. The boys would have been bored, though.
The front door
We had an amuse bouche of escargot a la bourgogne (with garlic). Dinner started with a beet-root apple compote; a piece of toast with a remoulade of feta cheese, pea, and mint, with mozzerella cheese and watercress; local ham (jambon chablissienne) cooked with carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and cream served on fresh tagliatelle, several cheeses as usual (Jasper was served a special portion on 'Tartine', similar to boursin, a garlic cream cheese); and chocolate fondue. The fondue was a big hit with the kids, although Jasper actually ate more fruit than chocolate.
Now we are on our way down canal. We passed the dead lady's home one lock upstream, and fed her cat some of Missy's (the boats's dachshund) dog food. The cat looked half-starved.
Thurs July 29
This is our last day of cruising. Yesterday we docked at Lezinnes, had an early lunch of papilletes (chopped smoked meat surrounded by veal), pear-celery-walnut salad, pototo salad with creme fraiche, and green salad with quail eggs. Two cheeses - one was a blue cheese, and the other was a 'money cheese' - - it has been traded on the stock exchange since the 1100s.
Then we piled into the bus and drove up through Tonnerre ("thunder"), over the hill, and into Chablis on the Serein river. We drove past field after field of grape vine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chablis_wine , caves, domains, tasting houses, chateau. Sheena told us that the label on the wine (grand cru vs. normal) has to do with the fossil content of the soil. This area was once an inland sea, and the fields with the highest fossil content are the highest rated ones. Also important is how old the vine is. The vines live in a nursery for three years, and are planted for for another four years before any grapes are harvested in the eighth year. The best wines come from plants that are older than 30 years, and a vine typically lasts for 75-80 years. This means a vine will outlast 1 or 2 owners, and being a vinter really has an element of caretaking for future generations.
We drove past Auxerre http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auxerre , which has a large church, a cathedral, and a monastery all in a line along its river, and then a bit into the hills where we went 'tree walking'. The kids, Peter, and I went, Cindy and Sheena stayed below for photography. The guards? instructors? Put lower-body saftey harnesses on us all (legs and waist). The belt had a ring near your belly button, and two straps along your sides. One strap had a carabiner, and the strap had a carabiner-pulley http://www.gearexpress.biz/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=G&Product_Code=P24 . These could be connected to two loops attached to the belt, one on each side.
Before our quick instructional session we wandered in a small interactive enclosure. There were several informationals about different animals and trees in the area, and several interactive displays - - one on smells (peppermint, eucalyptus, etc), one on touch (furs, feathers), sounds (bird calls). No taste or vision though! We saw a wild mouse scamper through the woods and then it was time to be taught how to treewalk.
We never saw any squirrels - either in Paris or Burgundy
Basically, tree walking is going up the trunk of a tree (with ladders), traversing from trunk to trunk along some sort of cable bridge, and then using a zipline to get down. For each action you hooked up two points of control. When climbing a ladder up, you hooked your belly button ring and the carabiner to a rope pulley that ran along the ladder. The rope had a sudden stop action, like a seatbelt, so if you fall off the ladder, you would be held up by the rope. At the top of the ladder is a platform. You hook your carabiner to a cable that encircles the trunk, and take off the belly button connection. The person behind you pulls the rope pulley back down so they can use it. Meanwhile, you walk around the platform to the bridge. There is a cable over the bridge that you hook your carabiner-pulley to, then you unhook your carabiner and hook it into the carabiner-pulley. Then you try to cross the bridge.
Some of the ladders are quite difficult to climb - - they are either nets, or very narrow. The bridges can be the most difficult. Someimes they are just a cable with ropes to hang onto on either side. Sometimes, even more difficult, they are suspended logs with very little to steady yourself on. There are also a couple of 'tarzan' swings, where you swing from a platform into a hanging cargo net. There was one particular swing that was deemed very scary due to the way you had to drop from the platform before the rope became taut and swung you into the net. Peter proclaimed it to be one of the most terrifying things he’d ever experienced. Of course, the most fun event is the zip line. A couple of them are over 100 meters long. We are all a bit muddy and bruised as we ride back to the boat through the town of Chablis (many restaurants and hotels for a town of its size, no surprise).
The weather had cleared up, but not enough for us to take a hot air balloon ride last evening. This morning it is too cloudy, and our last chance will be tonight, but we are not expecting it to happen. Anyway, for dinner last night we started with garlic-pepper shrimp over an avocado mousse, then a onion-brie tarte with cranberry jelly, then salmon on polenta and a tomato-black olive reduction, a rolled goat cheese and a cow cheese where the rind had been washed in wine. Last was a chocolate cake celebrating our anniversary. After dinner we watched the Disney movie "the Princess and the Frog".
Fri Aug 30
Yesterday was our last full day on the boat. We motored up to Tanlay, the home of Peter, Sheena and Caroline. It was raining in the morning with no good weather predicted for the rest of the day. So, we ended up unable to go hot air ballooning, and we couldn’t even ride bikes due to the weather. Sheena commented on how good it was that our kids were content to lounge below and read. She mentioned that her grandchildren enjoyed having her read Harry Potter and the Narnia books to them in English (they live in France and have french mothers) Nicola supplied her with a list of other books they might like. We were greeted at the Tanlay dock by Brian, Caroline's husband. He had a small weber set up and ready to go, and for lunch we had grilled merguez, shrimp, and chicken shishkabobs, with salads, cheeses, and rose wine. There was left over chocolate cake for dessert.
After lunch we drove to the grottos of D’Arcy sur Cure http://www.grottes-arcy.net/visite_E.html These are ancient caves. Archeologists recently found the remains of Neandertals within, dated to about 200,000 before present. They have also found 40,000 year-old Cromagnon bones. That may make the use of this cave older than Lascaux. Other artifacts include a tent made with mastodon hides and mastodon tusks (found under a rockslide). The best part of the one cave open to the public (there are 12 other caves) is about 1 km in. The caves are 'wet', which means that stalagtites and stalagmites are constantly forming at about 1 cm per century (150 years ago many stalagtites were broken off as goodluck keepsakes by tourists). However, because the caves are wet, they are constantly forming a layer of calcium minerals on the cave walls. About 15 years ago, archeologists realized that the back of the caves were filled with prehistoric drawings. So far they have located about 200 drawings, and have painstakingly uncovered 20-30 of them.
Sheena has a privliged position in these caves by virtue of her many years of guiding tours in Burgundy - - she is allowed private access to the caves. This meant that the five of us got a private tour of the painted walls, and were able to get close up views of the mastodons, deer, cats, birds, fish, and hands painted with ochre on the walls. It really makes one feel insignificant.
There are other things to see in the cave. Romans used a large pool of water as an alter to Neptune, and a variety of artifacts have been found there. There is graffitti from the revolution. Also, the caves were used in WWII by the resistance, and to hide jews.
We drove back to Tanlay and took a look at the chateau. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Tanlay We wandered back to our boat for a final dinner, this time joined by Peter and Sheena. We heard great stories about Peter's time as a camp counselor in North Carolina in 1975. For dinner we started with grilled fois gras and cheese puffs. then an appetizer with scallops, salmon on mille feuille, lime sorbet, beef with crushed walnut on mashed potatoes, brie and another cheese, and dessert of a chocolate mousse, a fruit kabob, and a lavender creme brulee. I don't remember the white wine, but the red was an exceptional (even to me) Beaune from one of the many hospice de beaune vinyards.
Captain Peter relaxing on deck on the last day
This morning we packed up and drove back to Paris. We arrived at the Intercontinental hotel near L'Opera. This is a giant luxurious hotel, but somewhat impersonal and very expensive. Our rooms weren't ready yet, so we left our bags and went back to the Eiffel Tower. We took the stairs up. The first floor is about 15 stories high, has lovely views of Paris, a restaurant, and an engaing museum about the construction of the tower along the outer walkway. We climbed up the 2nd floor ( 674 steps from the ground , 380 feet, around 30 stories), and then waited in line for the elevator. The the narrrow spiral staircase that once went to the top has long been dismantled. Unfortunately, the line was not well marked, and it turned out that our tickets were no good for the elevator. We would have to wait in another line to get tickets, and we decided it wasn't worth the wait. From the 2nd floor you can really see everything in paris anyway - - the Pantheon, Notre Dame, St Germain de pres, the pompadou, the old and new Operas, madeline, Invalides....Luckily the weather was no too hot. We descended the stair and took the metro back home. Now we are resting prior to dinner, and our flight back home tomorrow morning.
So, I am almost done with with the reporting on this trip. The kids might have liked something more active then the barge, but I think their palates may have broadened a bit. The Burgundian countryside is really beautiful, with low rolling hills and field after field of agriculture, interspersed with small woodlots and rivers. It seems that you could just drop any kind of seed into the ground and it would come up. each town is made up of old stone bulidings with crumbling stucco and red tile roofs, and each has a mayor's office and a church. It was thousands of villages like this that allowed the kings of France to build Paris.
Sun Aug 1
After our unsuccessful venture to the top of the tower, we hung out at our hotel, the Intercontinental near the old opera. I must say we were not impressed. The rooms were large and fancy looking, but this is about all you could say that was positive about them. We were on the third floor, looking out at the metro stop and the front of the Opera. Every time a train roared through the staion 100 feet below, our room rumbled. The toilet was in a different room from the wash basin - - you had to walk through the entire room to wash your hands! Our TV didn't work, there was a very expensive supplementary charge for a cot in the room, etc. We were not very happy with this. We did get a breakfast with our room. It's a good location if you want to shop, or you have a lot of petrodollars and want to spend 2000 per night - - there were two Lamborghinis and one Ferrari parked out side the hotel. My cab driver told me later that they belong to some Saudi's, who air freight thirty or so vehicles over - sports cars, bentleys, etc. That kind of money does bad things to you.
Anyway, for our last dinner, we took the metro to the Latin Quarter, and ate at a couscouserie on the Rue de la Hachette, an area where there are lots of little alleys filled with little ethnic restaurants. it is touristy and a bit cliche. I think I ate around here once or twice 30 years ago,and it hadn't changed, but it was easy and fun. The couscous is very small and fine, and comes with a big tureen of vegetables and broth. We ordered quail, meguez, meatballs, and chicken, as well as a chicken - lemon - olive tagine. Jasper had steak au poivre. Afterwards the kids had some ice cream and we went back to the hotel.
We left the hotel around 8:45am Sat morning and had an uneventful cab ride back to the airport. However, Charles De Gaulle was a mess. We waited over two hours to begin the check in process - -going through security (one question was how long we had owned our bags), getting the bags checked, boarding passes, customes and security was another hour. Most frustrating was people who had slightly earlier flights passing ahead of us - - if we had known that was the case, we might have arrived later.
The flight was uneventful, and we were all in bed by 9:00 yesterday evening. I am at work today just to take care of business, so I am not too far behind on Monday.
Missy stumbling outside from the wheelhouse.Tues July 27
It is raining this morning. I have had breakfast, but everyone else is still abed. Dinner in Montbard was most notable for the chocolate volcano dessert, but we also had roast duck with berries and a turnip puree. I'm already having trouble remembering what else there was. Two cheese, two wines, appetizers...
.
On Monday we got up for breakfast (this is usually cold cereals, fruit, pastries (one type), yogurt, juice and coffee). We started moving up the canal, and after an hour or so (six km), we debarqued, and took the bus all the way back to Montbard! We drove through this town and up into the hills beyond to visit the restored abbey of Fontenay http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey_of_Fontenay . This is a Cistercian order founded by St Bernard. The monks took vows of silence and poverty. The abby was first built in 1140 or therabouts. The buildings are practically 100% intact, although the grounds no longer reflect its history as a working abbey. It is a UNESCO world heritage site. The buildings and grounds are gorgeous and silent. After the entry, Sheena took us to the left and we saw the exterior of the kennels and stables. Then we went into the chapel. It was very austere, with a gothic vaulted ceiling, bare dirt floors, and no statuary of any sort. It would have been cold in the winter. The sanctuary had tombstones of some of the deceased monks, including the English bishop of Norwich who had been the Abbey's first financier. Above and to the right of the sanctuary was the first of two dormitories. Its ceiling resembled an upside down boat, and still had the original wooden pins.
It is raining this morning. I have had breakfast, but everyone else is still abed. Dinner in Montbard was most notable for the chocolate volcano dessert, but we also had roast duck with berries and a turnip puree. I'm already having trouble remembering what else there was. Two cheese, two wines, appetizers...
.
On Monday we got up for breakfast (this is usually cold cereals, fruit, pastries (one type), yogurt, juice and coffee). We started moving up the canal, and after an hour or so (six km), we debarqued, and took the bus all the way back to Montbard! We drove through this town and up into the hills beyond to visit the restored abbey of Fontenay http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey_of_Fontenay . This is a Cistercian order founded by St Bernard. The monks took vows of silence and poverty. The abby was first built in 1140 or therabouts. The buildings are practically 100% intact, although the grounds no longer reflect its history as a working abbey. It is a UNESCO world heritage site. The buildings and grounds are gorgeous and silent. After the entry, Sheena took us to the left and we saw the exterior of the kennels and stables. Then we went into the chapel. It was very austere, with a gothic vaulted ceiling, bare dirt floors, and no statuary of any sort. It would have been cold in the winter. The sanctuary had tombstones of some of the deceased monks, including the English bishop of Norwich who had been the Abbey's first financier. Above and to the right of the sanctuary was the first of two dormitories. Its ceiling resembled an upside down boat, and still had the original wooden pins.
The upside down boat structure helped to prevent collapse.The Abbey had housed about 300 monks at its peak. It began to decline in the 1500's when the french kings started to squeeze more taxes out of it, and shut down in the 1800's after the revolution. Afterwards it was owned by the Montogolfier family and had been used as a paper mill. We walked through the contemplative cloisters, which had once had a herb garden (tourists plucked all the flowers),
The contemplative cloister.into the warming room where the monks had kept their paper and ink. Next door was the illumination room where they wrote copies of the bible and other documents. It was now temporarily housing an exhibit of statues from different parts and different ages from all over France. All the statues were of the Virgin and Child, and they all were a bit different.
One of the many virgins.I don't know how much of this was due to regional differences versus the desires of the sculptor. We walked past the kitchen and the infirmary, and into the forge. This is one reason the Abbey was so famous - - it is the first instance of a hydraulic hammer - - really the beginning of the industrial revolution. The hammer's lever was powered by a water wheel outside the forge. The monks made nails, horseshoes, weapons. They mined the iron ore in the nearby hills. The hammer wasn't presently working, but it looked like it would be very loud. Outside, the race opended into a beautiful trout pound, filled with 3-4 pound fish! We also saw the bakery, the tourist bookstore, a border terrier, an exhibit on the Abbey.
The hammer end of the forge.The side attached to the water wheel.A model of the hammer.
We drove back to the boat and had lunch. There was charcuterie, a quiche with spinach and olives, wild rice salad with sweeet corn, a salad with radishes, carrots and cauliflower, and butter cookies with white and dark chocolate.
The weather started to drizzle on and off, but in between times the kids and I biked between three locks. We rode through two little villages. The first, Perrigny-sur-Armancon, had a barn that was converted to an artist's gallery, and the friendly proprieterist let us walk through. There was honey made by her father. She had a bunch of handmade wool and cashmere objects for sale. There were also a collection of cardboard statues and paintings on the wall. The next town Cry-sur-Armancon, didn't have anything in particular about it, but it was as picaresque as anything around here. There was going to be a theatrical performance in a small park - - cost 7 EU, bring your own cushion, drink and food. On the ride we saw magpies, pied wagtails, a red kite, European goldfinch, swallows, a kingfisher, possibly a green finch, frogs, dragon and damselflies, blackbirds. We also some low flights from French Mirages, who are based in Dijon.
We hung out on the moving boat the rest of the afternoon. We were momentarily stuck on the bottom. The level of the water in the canal is okay, but there are areas were it is silted and weeded up. I watched a goofy french movie on Vercingetroix with Christopher Lambert and Max von Sydow. We stopped in Ravieres, a limestone quarry town and walked about a bit. For dinner we had smoked duck with apple compote, a cheese souffle, a white fish (Julien?) on potatos, camembert and a cheddar-y, aged gouda-y mountain cheese, and a white chocolate cheesecake. For wine we had a sauvingon blanc and a cabernet from the same vinyard.
After dinner we played Munchkins. I won! In fact, last night we played traps and treasures, and I won both games. I also played 4-handed cribbage (Lucas and me against Jasper and Cindy) and won, as well as some game Lucas learned at camp. I am on a hot streak!
Weds July 28
Yesterday the barge sailed up from Ravieres to Ancy-le-Franc. Cindy and I took a brief bike ride - - about 3 km. We went past a giant field of sunflowers, and past a cow pasture that had about six grey herons. We also saw kingfishers and either blue or great tits. There were many wild flowers growing along the tow path, and a variety of wild fruit trees, at least cherries, apples, and plums. It really seems that you could just drop any kind of seed around here and it would grow. Cindy wanted to watch the lock operation. This particular lock had an electric pushbutton operation. The French governement had briefly toyed with making all the locks automatic, but it turned out that you still needed lock keepers. I had a brief conversation with the lock keeper, who had cut her thumb. When the Elisabeth came into view, the lock keeper had a long conversation with Peter. It turned out that an old lady down river had died in her home several days ago, and had only recently been found.
We docked at Ancy-le-Franc, and for lunch piled into the bus and rode about ten minutes rearward where we ate at a restaurant (we think it was Emma's day off). I had a salad with ham and andouillete, and trout menuiere for lunch. Lucas had an appetizer of escargot cooked in wine (de Burgogne). The kids all had omelettes with french fries. Cindy had a faux filet in peppercorn sauce. Cindy had tarte aux pommes for dessert, the rest of us had ice cream. We had an excellent white wine for lunch, but neither of us cared for the red.
After lunch we changed into bathing suits, and drove rearward back to Cry-sur-Armancon, where we rented kayaks (a double for Nickki and me, and for Cindy and Jaz; Lucas had a single). We went upriver briefly so we could shoot a tiny rapids, and then we went about forty minutes down the placid river until we came to a waterfall. Then we turned around and went back up river. We saw some common sandpipers, kingfishers, etc. On the way back a herd of cows came into the river just as we were going by. We were slightly worried that they were going to stampede us!
We drove back to the boat. Nicola and I took a ten minute walk to visit the chateau of Ancy-le-Franc http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_d . We were serenaded by a man practising the french hunting horn under the plane-tree lined drive on our way in. It was too late to enter the chateau, but we were able to walk the grounds. The chateau is square, with a door in the middle of each side. It is four stories high and mounted by a mansard roof. The doors are marked by the crossed keys of St Peter. Apparently, the builder of the chateau had helped the Avingnon pope return to Rome. He was also the brother in law of the King's favorite mistress, and had become a finance minister. The chateau was built by Italians, and is the only 'pure' renaissance chateau in France - - nothing has been added or taken away. We saw some pictures of the interior which looked very fine, with inlaid marble floors, etc. The boys would have been bored, though.
Ancy-le-Franc
The front doorWe had an amuse bouche of escargot a la bourgogne (with garlic). Dinner started with a beet-root apple compote; a piece of toast with a remoulade of feta cheese, pea, and mint, with mozzerella cheese and watercress; local ham (jambon chablissienne) cooked with carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and cream served on fresh tagliatelle, several cheeses as usual (Jasper was served a special portion on 'Tartine', similar to boursin, a garlic cream cheese); and chocolate fondue. The fondue was a big hit with the kids, although Jasper actually ate more fruit than chocolate.
Now we are on our way down canal. We passed the dead lady's home one lock upstream, and fed her cat some of Missy's (the boats's dachshund) dog food. The cat looked half-starved.
Thurs July 29
This is our last day of cruising. Yesterday we docked at Lezinnes, had an early lunch of papilletes (chopped smoked meat surrounded by veal), pear-celery-walnut salad, pototo salad with creme fraiche, and green salad with quail eggs. Two cheeses - one was a blue cheese, and the other was a 'money cheese' - - it has been traded on the stock exchange since the 1100s.
Then we piled into the bus and drove up through Tonnerre ("thunder"), over the hill, and into Chablis on the Serein river. We drove past field after field of grape vine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chablis_wine , caves, domains, tasting houses, chateau. Sheena told us that the label on the wine (grand cru vs. normal) has to do with the fossil content of the soil. This area was once an inland sea, and the fields with the highest fossil content are the highest rated ones. Also important is how old the vine is. The vines live in a nursery for three years, and are planted for for another four years before any grapes are harvested in the eighth year. The best wines come from plants that are older than 30 years, and a vine typically lasts for 75-80 years. This means a vine will outlast 1 or 2 owners, and being a vinter really has an element of caretaking for future generations.
We drove past Auxerre http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auxerre , which has a large church, a cathedral, and a monastery all in a line along its river, and then a bit into the hills where we went 'tree walking'. The kids, Peter, and I went, Cindy and Sheena stayed below for photography. The guards? instructors? Put lower-body saftey harnesses on us all (legs and waist). The belt had a ring near your belly button, and two straps along your sides. One strap had a carabiner, and the strap had a carabiner-pulley http://www.gearexpress.biz/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=G&Product_Code=P24 . These could be connected to two loops attached to the belt, one on each side.
Before our quick instructional session we wandered in a small interactive enclosure. There were several informationals about different animals and trees in the area, and several interactive displays - - one on smells (peppermint, eucalyptus, etc), one on touch (furs, feathers), sounds (bird calls). No taste or vision though! We saw a wild mouse scamper through the woods and then it was time to be taught how to treewalk.
We never saw any squirrels - either in Paris or BurgundyBasically, tree walking is going up the trunk of a tree (with ladders), traversing from trunk to trunk along some sort of cable bridge, and then using a zipline to get down. For each action you hooked up two points of control. When climbing a ladder up, you hooked your belly button ring and the carabiner to a rope pulley that ran along the ladder. The rope had a sudden stop action, like a seatbelt, so if you fall off the ladder, you would be held up by the rope. At the top of the ladder is a platform. You hook your carabiner to a cable that encircles the trunk, and take off the belly button connection. The person behind you pulls the rope pulley back down so they can use it. Meanwhile, you walk around the platform to the bridge. There is a cable over the bridge that you hook your carabiner-pulley to, then you unhook your carabiner and hook it into the carabiner-pulley. Then you try to cross the bridge.
Some of the ladders are quite difficult to climb - - they are either nets, or very narrow. The bridges can be the most difficult. Someimes they are just a cable with ropes to hang onto on either side. Sometimes, even more difficult, they are suspended logs with very little to steady yourself on. There are also a couple of 'tarzan' swings, where you swing from a platform into a hanging cargo net. There was one particular swing that was deemed very scary due to the way you had to drop from the platform before the rope became taut and swung you into the net. Peter proclaimed it to be one of the most terrifying things he’d ever experienced. Of course, the most fun event is the zip line. A couple of them are over 100 meters long. We are all a bit muddy and bruised as we ride back to the boat through the town of Chablis (many restaurants and hotels for a town of its size, no surprise).
The weather had cleared up, but not enough for us to take a hot air balloon ride last evening. This morning it is too cloudy, and our last chance will be tonight, but we are not expecting it to happen. Anyway, for dinner last night we started with garlic-pepper shrimp over an avocado mousse, then a onion-brie tarte with cranberry jelly, then salmon on polenta and a tomato-black olive reduction, a rolled goat cheese and a cow cheese where the rind had been washed in wine. Last was a chocolate cake celebrating our anniversary. After dinner we watched the Disney movie "the Princess and the Frog".
Fri Aug 30
Yesterday was our last full day on the boat. We motored up to Tanlay, the home of Peter, Sheena and Caroline. It was raining in the morning with no good weather predicted for the rest of the day. So, we ended up unable to go hot air ballooning, and we couldn’t even ride bikes due to the weather. Sheena commented on how good it was that our kids were content to lounge below and read. She mentioned that her grandchildren enjoyed having her read Harry Potter and the Narnia books to them in English (they live in France and have french mothers) Nicola supplied her with a list of other books they might like. We were greeted at the Tanlay dock by Brian, Caroline's husband. He had a small weber set up and ready to go, and for lunch we had grilled merguez, shrimp, and chicken shishkabobs, with salads, cheeses, and rose wine. There was left over chocolate cake for dessert.
Chateau de Tanlay
After lunch we drove to the grottos of D’Arcy sur Cure http://www.grottes-arcy.net/visite_E.html These are ancient caves. Archeologists recently found the remains of Neandertals within, dated to about 200,000 before present. They have also found 40,000 year-old Cromagnon bones. That may make the use of this cave older than Lascaux. Other artifacts include a tent made with mastodon hides and mastodon tusks (found under a rockslide). The best part of the one cave open to the public (there are 12 other caves) is about 1 km in. The caves are 'wet', which means that stalagtites and stalagmites are constantly forming at about 1 cm per century (150 years ago many stalagtites were broken off as goodluck keepsakes by tourists). However, because the caves are wet, they are constantly forming a layer of calcium minerals on the cave walls. About 15 years ago, archeologists realized that the back of the caves were filled with prehistoric drawings. So far they have located about 200 drawings, and have painstakingly uncovered 20-30 of them.
Sheena has a privliged position in these caves by virtue of her many years of guiding tours in Burgundy - - she is allowed private access to the caves. This meant that the five of us got a private tour of the painted walls, and were able to get close up views of the mastodons, deer, cats, birds, fish, and hands painted with ochre on the walls. It really makes one feel insignificant.
There are other things to see in the cave. Romans used a large pool of water as an alter to Neptune, and a variety of artifacts have been found there. There is graffitti from the revolution. Also, the caves were used in WWII by the resistance, and to hide jews.
We drove back to Tanlay and took a look at the chateau. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Tanlay We wandered back to our boat for a final dinner, this time joined by Peter and Sheena. We heard great stories about Peter's time as a camp counselor in North Carolina in 1975. For dinner we started with grilled fois gras and cheese puffs. then an appetizer with scallops, salmon on mille feuille, lime sorbet, beef with crushed walnut on mashed potatoes, brie and another cheese, and dessert of a chocolate mousse, a fruit kabob, and a lavender creme brulee. I don't remember the white wine, but the red was an exceptional (even to me) Beaune from one of the many hospice de beaune vinyards.
Captain Peter relaxing on deck on the last day
This morning we packed up and drove back to Paris. We arrived at the Intercontinental hotel near L'Opera. This is a giant luxurious hotel, but somewhat impersonal and very expensive. Our rooms weren't ready yet, so we left our bags and went back to the Eiffel Tower. We took the stairs up. The first floor is about 15 stories high, has lovely views of Paris, a restaurant, and an engaing museum about the construction of the tower along the outer walkway. We climbed up the 2nd floor ( 674 steps from the ground , 380 feet, around 30 stories), and then waited in line for the elevator. The the narrrow spiral staircase that once went to the top has long been dismantled. Unfortunately, the line was not well marked, and it turned out that our tickets were no good for the elevator. We would have to wait in another line to get tickets, and we decided it wasn't worth the wait. From the 2nd floor you can really see everything in paris anyway - - the Pantheon, Notre Dame, St Germain de pres, the pompadou, the old and new Operas, madeline, Invalides....Luckily the weather was no too hot. We descended the stair and took the metro back home. Now we are resting prior to dinner, and our flight back home tomorrow morning.
So, I am almost done with with the reporting on this trip. The kids might have liked something more active then the barge, but I think their palates may have broadened a bit. The Burgundian countryside is really beautiful, with low rolling hills and field after field of agriculture, interspersed with small woodlots and rivers. It seems that you could just drop any kind of seed into the ground and it would come up. each town is made up of old stone bulidings with crumbling stucco and red tile roofs, and each has a mayor's office and a church. It was thousands of villages like this that allowed the kings of France to build Paris.
Sun Aug 1
After our unsuccessful venture to the top of the tower, we hung out at our hotel, the Intercontinental near the old opera. I must say we were not impressed. The rooms were large and fancy looking, but this is about all you could say that was positive about them. We were on the third floor, looking out at the metro stop and the front of the Opera. Every time a train roared through the staion 100 feet below, our room rumbled. The toilet was in a different room from the wash basin - - you had to walk through the entire room to wash your hands! Our TV didn't work, there was a very expensive supplementary charge for a cot in the room, etc. We were not very happy with this. We did get a breakfast with our room. It's a good location if you want to shop, or you have a lot of petrodollars and want to spend 2000 per night - - there were two Lamborghinis and one Ferrari parked out side the hotel. My cab driver told me later that they belong to some Saudi's, who air freight thirty or so vehicles over - sports cars, bentleys, etc. That kind of money does bad things to you.
Anyway, for our last dinner, we took the metro to the Latin Quarter, and ate at a couscouserie on the Rue de la Hachette, an area where there are lots of little alleys filled with little ethnic restaurants. it is touristy and a bit cliche. I think I ate around here once or twice 30 years ago,and it hadn't changed, but it was easy and fun. The couscous is very small and fine, and comes with a big tureen of vegetables and broth. We ordered quail, meguez, meatballs, and chicken, as well as a chicken - lemon - olive tagine. Jasper had steak au poivre. Afterwards the kids had some ice cream and we went back to the hotel.
Gargoyles on some unknown church in the Latin Quarter
We left the hotel around 8:45am Sat morning and had an uneventful cab ride back to the airport. However, Charles De Gaulle was a mess. We waited over two hours to begin the check in process - -going through security (one question was how long we had owned our bags), getting the bags checked, boarding passes, customes and security was another hour. Most frustrating was people who had slightly earlier flights passing ahead of us - - if we had known that was the case, we might have arrived later.
The flight was uneventful, and we were all in bed by 9:00 yesterday evening. I am at work today just to take care of business, so I am not too far behind on Monday.
1 comment:
What a terrific trip! These photos are great! Did you use a separate camera, or your phones? And I want to be fed the way you were fed ... reading what you ate was the best!
Owen
Post a Comment