OUR LAST DAYS OF CRUISING WITH JOHN AND CATALINA (The End of our 2008 Cruising)

On Tuesday, Oct. 28 our friends John and Catalina Escobar arrived in Carcassonne after a much awaited visit. They had been to Holland and Germany, and before coming south they were in Paris, from where they drove to see us. The weather had been beautiful until the day they arrived. That Tuesday was the coldest day we had had all season, but fortunately, in the days to follow, it warmed up and they had some beautiful sunshine for our last two days of cruising. The Canal du Midi was to close to navigation on Nov. 5, but we wanted to be in our wintering port of Castelnaudary on Oct. 31. The last few days before the closing of the canal, navigation had to be "a La demande," which means you had to ask for permission and subject yourself to their schedules for locks, etc. John and Catalina arrived around 7: 00 PM which was the perfect time to have a drink. I had some appetizers and a bottle of Biesbosch's own champagne to celebrate their arrival. After a much animated hour or so, we had a delicious dinner of Boeuf Bourgignonne, which I had prepared the night before, and which proved to be the perfect meal for a cold evening. In the middle of the night the electricity in port had failed and our batteries went flat. We had to make sure they were fully charged, since on our first night of navigation we would not have a place to plug into. The next day we had our daily breakfast with fresh croissants and out-of- the oven bread brought by Bill every morning. They so enjoyed their breakfasts on the boat. We got ready and Catalina and I went to do some shopping at the Pharmacie de La Gare, a fabulous American Style drugstore that has the most wonderful natural products one can possibly imagine. We went up to The Place Carnot, made reservations to eat at the local" Chez Felix" and went back to the boat to get the guys. We very much enjoyed our lunch at this typical French bistro, walked around and went back to the boat for the rest of the afternoon. In the early evening, we drove to Castelnaudary in both our cars so we could leave them there and get back by train. To our dismay, the last train to Carcassonne was delayed by more than an hour, so we left their car at the station and drove back in ours to see the Cite, so John and Catalina could take photos of it all lit up. Every time I see it up on the hill at any time of the day, its beauty takes my breath away. But at night it looks surreal, almost. That evening we had a light meal of quiche and salad, and vast quantities of wine, as one tends to drink when in company of friends.

The next day, after our usual good breakfast, we got ready, I walked to the first lock--the one at the port--where I had John throw the ropes to me. Going back to Castelnaudary you are up locking all the time and because of the height of some of the locks, it is good to have someone help with the ropes. From then on, John was my rope assistant. We would drop him off at the waiting pier before the lock and he would either walk or bike to it which proved to be a very enjoyable thing for him. The first couple of hours of navigation was a bit drizzly, but later on the weather got better, so we spent most of the time out on the bow. That first night we tied up the boat after the port of Bram right after a lock in a most beautiful and quiet spot. We had nothing but the trees and the birds around, my most favorite thing to do. We sat around with our drinks, and I made a nice chicken dinner, which we all enjoyed. After our cheese and after-dinner drinks, John and Catalina did the dishes and we retired for the night. The next day, due to the fact that we were not full up in power we all washed up--no showers--had our breakfast and continued on for our last day of navigation for the season. At lunch time we tied up the boat in a beautiful spot, the lock of La Peyruque where there is a small boutique owned by an English couple. She makes beautiful ceramic things, so John and Cata bought me a lovely little bell and a ceramic plaque just like the one marking the lock house, for us to hang in the boat. Such a thoughtful thing to do!

This stretch of the canal has very many locks, many of them triple, and the last one at Castelnaudary, a quadruple lock, operated mainly by our friend, Mr. Villeneuve, better known as "The pie man". Most of the lock keepers remembered us from the last time we went down so all of them were wonderful, talkative and polite. I had asked Mr. Villeneuve if he could sell me a pie, but he was out of them. We decided I would be picking one up at the lock house the next day. As we left the last of the 4 locks, we came into the large basin of Castelnaudary. John was at the helm and Catalina and I could not believe the beauty of this basin with its Mediterranean feeling and beautiful old mill and bridge. We moored the boat after the bridge at the port in front of La Police Nationale. We had called ahead, so we had a spot and electricity and water available. John and Catalina were supposed to leave for Barcelona soon after arrival, after 6: 00 PM, but we persuaded them to stay and leave the next morning. We had another lovely evening with them. We went to the local supermarket, got a few bottles of wine and came back to the boat where I prepared a pasta meal enjoyed by all. The next day after a good night, we were starting on breakfast, when we heard a knock on the door. It was "The pie man" delivering a piping hot apple pie that he had made for us that morning. He wanted to make sure our friends could taste it. We could not believe it. So our breakfast was grand. After getting ready we all got in their car, went back to Carcassonne to pick up ours, and we led John and Catalina out to the Autoroute to Barcelona. We said our goodbyes, and although, once again it was sad to see them go, we are glad to know we will be seeing them again in Miami this winter when we are there.

After their departure, Bill and I went out to lunch, came back to Biesbosch and did some laundry, since the next day they were predicting rain which finally came. It rained all night and all day, something we had not seen here in The South since our arrival last year. We stayed in Biesbosch reading all day. I finished a book and almost finished a second, watched two good movies and made plans for our trip to the North which starts this coming Thursday. We plan to go to Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Holland and The north of France.




A tea break for Catalina



My rope assistant



A lovely bridge on The Midi



The basin at Castelnaudary



The view from our wintering spot



The Cite de Carcassonne



Biesbosch coming around the bend



A great couple



The colors of Fall



Tying up for lunch in shallow waters



Great mooring spot

A VISIT FROM OUR FRIEND ELENA

On Oct 15, Bill and I drove to Toulouse Airport to pick up our friend Elena who arrived from Madrid Around 8:00 PM. Her flight was a few minutes late, and we were concerned that the little place in Carcassonne where we wanted to eat would be closed by the time we got there, Luckily, we arrived around 9:30, and it was not too late. It is a little Italian family restaurant where we had eaten before. We wanted pizzas, which we ordered with some wine, and Voila. Our pizzas arrived. Elena ordered an anchovies pizza which proved to be too salty to eat. She was too polite to complain, so she ate the crust, a little salad, and some of ours. We got to the boat, showed Elena around, and noticed she was truly impressed. She did not know what to expect, but she loved the feeling and the comfort of the boat. We knew she has a tendency to get sea sick, so we wondered how she would do once we would start moving.

As it is customary, the next morning Bill went out to get the bread and croissants for breakfast, only to find out Elena was not around. She had gone out for a walk before Bill had awakened. We had our breakfast, showered, got ready and went out with Bill as far as the Place Carnot, where they hold the market twice a week. This day they were setting up for the launch of the first wines, so the market had been reduced to less than half its original size. Bill left to do some errands and Elena and I walked to The Cite, the fortified city of Carcassonne. Every time I see it, which is at least once a day, I am in awe of its beauty. This day, it was sunny and beautiful, so Carcassonne was even prettier for Elena. We walked up a steep hill--no path--to reach the outer walls of the city. From there you felt taken back a few centuries. No pavement, electric cables or car noises could be heard. We could only imagine the sound of horse hooves hitting the stone path as they approached its gates. We went into the center of the cite, saw the beautiful cathedral, the Hotel de La Cite, the small squares and all other sites . As we came back into the Bastide--modern Carcassonne -- we went to have lunch at a little place where Bill and I have eaten called Le Cozy. They have great food, delicious salads and desserts, and a very nice atmosphere. We had a great lunch and walked through town, did some shopping and thoroughly enjoyed our day. In the evening, we went to taste some wines at the Place Carnot, many of the chateaux offering some great foods along with the wines. Later on,we cooked a Raclette for Elena, which she really enjoyed.

On Friday Bill had a dental appointment in the town of Fabrezan, so we left sometime mid-morning so we could have the chance to show Elena the countryside. The grape harvest had just been completed, the vines, in their golden and orange splendor made the landscape breath-taking. In Fabrezan, we walked around the town which is very charming and had lunch a a little restaurant across from Dr. Hortal's office. We met Bill and drove to Aigne, the small village shaped like a snail, Caunes Minervois with its beautiful Abbey and pink marble quarry, Minerve and its canyons, and all around the area. We had to get back to get ready for a soiree with our friends, Michele, Claudine and Dany, here on Biesbosch. Elena and I made a tortilla espanola, we had hams, cheeses, olives, and different hors d'oeuvres which we accompanied by some great wines. Dany brought an almond, butter dessert called Financier, out of this world, and Claudine brought an assortment of delicious panna cottas. Although it was not meant to be a meal, it turned out to be so. We so enjoyed having our friends on our boat again, and they were delighted to meet Elena.

During the time She was on Biesbosch, Elena, who does not sleep very well, slept like a baby. I was so glad to know she was relaxed and really appreciating this kind of life. She never got sea sick, not even when we were uplocking and the boat would move from the violence of the water coming into the lock. The next day, under clear and sunny skies, we took Biesbosch in the direction of Trebes. The first lock just after Carcassonne is a triple lock, quite an experience for Elena. She was delighted with the whole thing. We tied the boat up and had a lovely little lunch. After lunch we went exploring around the sleepy town, where despite the signs for the different specialty shops, it did not look like they had ever been open or that there were any people in the town. This is very typical of rural France, though. Our stop for the evening was Trebes where there is a rental boat base with a real port. I asked the captain for a spot, and although they were full, he moved a boat to the other side to give us a spot where we could have electricity for the night. As usual, Elena and I went into town to see the sights, and although the church was supposed to be open, it was not. I guess they knew I was coming! In the evening we had another nice meal on Biesbosch and another good night's sleep.

The next day we had a very e and easy day of navigation. We tied the boat up in Puicheric and had lunch at the picnic area complete with stray dogs--lovely ones--and lovely weather. In the afternoon it got a bit cloudy, but never cold. We arrived in Homps at 6:00 PM ready for a nice drink. Elena announced that since the next day was our anniversary, she wanted to invite us for dinner. We ate at Les Tonneliers where we had a very good dinner and good bottle of Minervois wine. It was a very good evening. We would be getting up early to go back towards Carcassonne, the same way we came. We were invited to Dany's on the day of our anniversary along with Claudine and Michel. Bill had picked up the car and brought it to Trebes, so we could drive to Dany's in the evening. We all got dressed and arrived at Dany's beautiful house, now converted into Le Jardin de La Cite, a gorgeous B&B with a beautiful view of La Cite from her living room and pool area. She had made so many fabulous things to eat and it all looked so beautiful. The punch she made was the best I have ever had. It had champagne, cinnamon, juices and other spices. We had a very good time with our friends, and Elena got to see Dany's house in full. We came back, Elena got some of her things ready for packing because the next day we would be driving her back to Toulouse to take her flight to Madrid.

We got up early to take advantage of the day so we could see Toulouse with Elena. Her plane would be leaving at 8:00 PM so we had time to go to the market at Victor Hugo, where we ate at one of the upstairs restaurants. Elena wanted to try the Cassoulet, I had a very good piece of meat and Bill had some steak, as well. After lunch, we went to see St. Sernin, the impressive and gorgeous Romanesque church of Toulouse, where earlier in the year I had been given my Pilgrim's Credential. We visited Les Jacobins and its Cloister. Here under the altar they have the urn with St. Thomas of Aquinas' remains. We also walked to the beautiful Toulousian church of Notre Dame de Taur, The Capitole, The Parc Wilson and all of the main downtown area with its many little boutiques and numerous cafes full of people at all times of the day. Elena wanted to be at the airport early, so when we arrived, she wanted to get in to the tax free shops to buy a bottle of wine for her daughter, only to be told that on Easy Jet, passengers going to Spain have no right to buy from those shops. She was able, however to buy her a lovely pair of earrings from a beautiful gallery at the airport.

Although we will be seeing Elena in Madrid before we go back to USA, it was very sad to say good bye again, and we only hope to have Elena with us another time on Biesbosch. Who knows? She might join us in Bruges when we are there, perhaps next year.




Elena in Fabrezan



In the snail-shaped village of Aigne



Minerve, Cathar City



Fresques Lock



Charming low bride on The Midi Canal



A reflection in Homps



A quiet stretch of the canal



The painting-like quality of the Fall landscape



Turbulence in lock



A very fit First Mate



And co-captain as well

TO THE END OF THE CANAL LATERAL A LA GARONNE PART II (IAN'S VISIT)

On September 2 Ian arrived in Paris, where he stayed for a couple of days with his cousin, Sylvia and husband Laurent. The day of Ian's arrival it was Sylvia's first day at The Salon de la Mode where she was exhibiting and promoting her new winter collection. This was a very interesting thing for Ian to see, and he was delighted to be able to help his cousin with the set up of her displays, etc. Although Sylvia was very busy, they were able to spend some time together, so for Ian it was a great experience. On the 6 of September we picked Ian up at the train station in Bordeaux. It was so exciting to see him there waiting for us. I could not believe he was going to be with us again for a few days. We parked the car by the river and the Hotel de Ville, so he could see the new River walk they have built in the city. They have been building it for a few years, and they only have about a kilometer to finish. It is absolutely gorgeous. Across from the Hotel de Ville they built a Mirroir d' eau or Water Mirror, a fountain that spews jets of water steam and trickles of water to form a large square flat water mirror on its black slate stones. People can take their shoes off and play in it, so you see children and adults alike enjoying this unusual fountain. We found a nice restaurant in front of the river, so we sat down for a while and had a very nice lunch. Before we left town, we went to see the submarine pens from WW II, which are intact. Ian was eager to see the boat, so we got back in the car and drove to Meilhan sur Garonne where Biesbosch was.

Ian wanted to relax and not do a lot of navigating, at least not very long days, so we spent two days in Meilhan, took him to see the towns around it, had some lovely meals on board, and on the 8 at around 11:00, we left Meilhan to go to Castets en Dorthe, the end of The Canal Lateral a la Garonne, about 1/1/2 hours away. It was a gorgeous, sunny morning and this last part of the canal, like the rest is green and lush. At the last lock we had to wait for a while. There was a crew of three men working on the gates. After going through the lock, we moored along the canal and had lunch on deck. We arrived at Castets around 1: 30 PM and were able to tie up along the long pontoon away from the port; a great spot. Later on, a large Peniche called Bosco, tied behind us. As it turned out, they had a Peniche Driving School, and the students were all girls. According to Ian, from the looks of them--rather rough around the edges--they must have been young delinquents being taught a skill. In he late afternoon they all jumped into the water to play and sun themselves on surfboards. They all had their eyes set on Ian, without a doubt. We walked to the lock that takes you to the Garonne, a rather intimidating lock whose lock house has three floors, unlike the rest. The river has flooded many times and the marks of the various flood levels are set in the house walls. We then walked up the hill to the Chateau de Castets and the small village of about 400 people. In the evening we set up the barbecue and had a great cookout.

The next day, Ian's birthday, we had a lazy morning, a nice lunch on board and after 2:30 PM navigated Back to Meilhan. Ian wanted to have a raclette for dinner, so after tying the boat up, we took the car to the supermarket and bought the cheeses, meats, and all ingredients necessary. As it turned out, it was a chili and rainy night, the perfect weather for a raclette. For Ian it was a perfect day, exactly what he wanted. To go to Vileton We stayed at Meilhan until the morning of the 12, when we left around 10: 00 AM. Although it was foggy in the first hour or so of navigation, the weather turned into sunny and balmy. For lunch, we tied up along the canal and had a soup and sandwich which Ian wanted and continued on to Villeton. There are a few houses behind the port, but in front of the pontoon, there is a Pizzeria and a small local folklore museum. It is a quiet mooring, so we decided to stay for a few days. From there we took trips by car to Mas d'Agenais so Ian could see The Rembrandt at The Collegiale, to Agen to eat at the train station, to Damazan and other villages in the area. We had left our car in Meilhan so Bill took the bicycle along he canal to pick up the car and bring it to Villeton. On the 14 in the morning, we took Ian back to Bordeaux from where he returned to Paris and the 16 he flew back to LA. This time, Sylvia was not as busy, so he was able to spend time with his cousin. She has always been very special to Ian and he has always enjoyed her company as well as Laurent's, Sylvia's husband.

After such a wonderful time with him, it was very hard to say goodbye to our boy. And for a few days, I kept setting the table for 3, forgetting he was not around. He always is, though in our hearts.





A beautiful day for navigation



Brasserie de la Gare, Agen



A pigeon house in Gascony



Our mooring at Castets



Flood levels markings



Lock leading to Garonne River



Chateau de Castets



Cookout at Castets



View of canal, Garonne and bridge from top of Mas d'Agenais



Ian admiring a Rembrandt



The Mirroir d' eau, Bordeaux



The Garonne



The wild and beautiful Garonne



Our handsome son



A typical Gascony landscape

TO THE END OF THE CANAL LATERAL A LA GARONNE PART I

After Bob and Doris left, we spent a couple more weeks in Malause doing some work on Biesbosch, a new front hatch that Mark, our friend fabricated for us, a bit of painting, and of course enjoying the company of Mark and Celia, Kit and Steve and Laurence and Andre whom I met when I came back from Spain. On August 17 we celebrated Celia's birthday with a big lunch in the picnic area and a game of boules in the late afternoon. We stayed in Malause until the 30 of August, but did a lot of traveling by car, and explored the Lot et Garonne and The Gers, both very beautiful departments with gorgeous towns, great nearby hill food and history.

The first night we tied all by ourselves at a bend in the canal where we could see on the nearby hill a medieval town with a triangular church tower all pink from the sunset light. As soon as we tied up we were visited by a family of six beautiful swans who swam around our boat for a long time, even after they had been fed a whole baguette. Since it was early still, we left the boat and walked down a little road to see where it would lead. After a few bends we came into a tiny village called St. Pierre de Malaure. The houses were small and low and all around were sunflower fields and plum trees full of purple fruit ready to be picked. The next morning we continued on to Agen, a real city that has a real port by the train station, whose brasserie is famed for its good cuisine. We got there, tied up in front of a big peniche and walked across the pedestrian bridge over to the station. Lunch was fabulous and the ambiance great. After lunch we arrived in the village of Serignac where we tied up to the pontoon along with three other boats. The village of Serignac has a very distinct church tower that swirls up like an ice cream cone. It is quite beautiful. The town is a small bastide with half timber houses and narrow streets; very lovely. In the afternoon we stooped at the local boules court to watch a few people playing, and Bill was invited to join in. He was playing with some very accomplished players and he and his partner won the game. It was such a fantastic thing for Bill to do! The next day we walked from the canal to the River Garonne, a few km away among the plum trees, apple orchards and kiwi plants. The aromas of the warm ripening fruit were unbelievable. The river is very wild and its banks in that area, not at all populated, so with its lush vegetation and clear water, you felt as if you were in the jungle. We walked quite a distance on its graveled banks from where we could see hundreds of fish feeding close to the banks, jumping and splashing about. It was quite a sight!

Our next stop was in the town of Buzet, whose vineyards produce some very good wines. We tied up after the port in front of a restaurant where we thought we might have electricity, but they had disconnected it. However, as it is, we have enough battery power to run the 2 refrigerators, lights, and all other electrical appliances, except oven for about 32 hours. We left the boat, walked to see the town uphill to La Cave de Buzet, a cellar owned by the vintners of the region where they have wine tasting. After tasting a few good wines, we bought a few bottles and walked back to our boat with them. It was a beautiful evening, so we went on deck for our aperitif, had a very nice dinner and watched a great French film.

From Buzet we did a three hour run, an easy run past the port at Damazan, where we could not tie up because their pontoons are too small and mainly for plastic boats. This stretch of the canal is particularly beautiful with three and sometimes four rows of plain trees along its banks. We decided to stop for lunch at a restaurant called Le Bar du Canal because it had a pontoon right in front of its terrace for boats to stop and tie to. The lunch turned out to be a lovely home cooked meal and a fantastic dessert. We were going to continue on, but since the pontoon had all the amenities, we decided to stay and take a long bike ride along the Voie Verte, a bike path that goes from Toulouse to Bordeaux. It was a gorgeous afternoon, so off we went on a 24 Km run. On our way back, we stopped at the lovely medieval town of Mas d'Agenais which has a great view over both the canal and the River Garonne and its suspension bridge. The main square has a covered market from the XIII C. and the Collegiale de St. Vincent, one of the most beautiful of Rembrandt's small paintings of The Cruxifition, one of a series of seven. It was willed to the town by a rich merchant who had lived there.

The next day, we did a 6 hour run with an hour lunch break. There had been a rain storm in the middle of the night cooling things off a bit. We arrived at the town of Meilhan and saw our friends Robin and Millie from Taboe, whom we had not seen since May of this year. They signaled to us to tie up to their boat and told s that the boat behind them would be leaving the next day and we could then have that spot. The port is very well equipped, and it is one of the few with WIFI, which is a real plus. The people who run it is an English couple who used to run a small port in The Midi. They live in their narrow boat with their dog, and have a small concession at the port. Our friends Jane and Hugh from Sea Wolf were also there, and it was great seeing them again, as well. The next day, Bill took the bicycle up to the town of La Reole, where he got a train to pick up the car in Malause and bring it back. Ian was to arrive in Bordeaux in a few days, and we were to meet him there at the train station. While in Meilhan, we did some more traveling in the area by car. We spent a day visiting the vineyards in Bordeaux and saw a few gorgeous Chateaux, but none of the well known ones, such as Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Mouton were closed for tasting. The region is very beautiful and one can see chateau after chateau for miles on end. At the town of Lamarque, on the West side of the Gironde, we took a ferry to Blaye. It is quite an experience crossing the tidal muddy and dangerous estuary. Blaye has a Vauban citadelle, beautifully preserved with an unbelievable view of the hills and valley below.

Bill broke a tooth, had to go to Carcassonne to see the dentist, so we stayed with our friends Michel and Claudine, the greatest hosts anyone can have. It was the week of Spanish Days in Carcassonne, a yearly Spanish festival of music, spectacles and food. The weather was glorious, as was the whole ambiance in town. On the way back to the boat, we visited the Medieval town of Mirepoix, high on the hills of the Minervois and known for its beautifully preserved half timbered houses with carved wooden beams. It is a treasure of a town.





Celia's birthday in Malause



A beautiful mooring spot on the canal



The Town Hall and Square in Lamarque



A Beautiful Chateau, Bordeaux



Going onto ferry across La Gironde



Premieres cotes de Blaye



With Claudine after market in Carcassonne



Beautiful Mirepoix



Ancient carved beam, Mirepiox



Biesbosch, Agen Port



Going over the Garonne on the Pont Canal of Agen

OUR VISIT WITH BOB AND DORIS GIAMBRA

A few days after I arrived from Spain, our friends Bob and Doris from California took a train from Paris to Bordeaux where they were met by us. They had taken an overnight train from Rome, the tail end of their Italian trip after having been in Venice, Cinque Terre and Tuscany as a Silver Wedding Anniversary trip. They had telephoned to say their train would be delayed by a couple of hours, so Bill and I decided to go to Ikea in the outskirts of Bordeaux to do some shopping. Their train arrived at the Gare St. Jean around 2:30 PM and as passengers were getting off the TGV, I spotted Bob and Doris, looking tired, but very happy and relieved to see that we were there. We offered to take them around Bordeaux for some sight seeing, but they wanted to get back to Biesbosch, shower and get some rest. Our boat was in Malause, about two hours away, so during our travel time they told us about their wonderful trip to Italy and their many interesting experiences. We were delighted to have them with us and wanted them to have a good experience on the boat.

Once we were on Biesbosch, Bob and Doris decided to leave their large suitcase in the trunk of our car and only take the necessary items for the next few days. That evening they met our friends Mark and Celia, and we sat at the picnic tables and shared a lovely evening of good wine and food. While we were in Malause, Bob and Doris did some walking along the canal which is shady and lined with plain trees for as long as the eye can see. The sunflower fields were a gorgeous contrast to the green pastures and cornfields around. On August 6, the day of their anniversary, I prepared a paella for dinner, which turned out delicious. We ate it on Biesbosch on a rather hot evening. We set a nice tables, candles and all, and Doris put on a lovely sun dress for the occasion. We enjoyed a most fabulous evening with our dear friends.

During the time we were together we decided to share Rick Stein's French Odyssey series with Bob and Doris, since it is all filmed in this canal, many of the places that they would recognize and enjoy. We would watch one or two episodes every night, lying comfortably on our bed, salivating over the recipes and looking forward to the next day's episode.

From Malause we went to Castelsarrassin. It was a beautiful day for navigation and a totally new experience for our friends. They seemed to enjoy the locks, and they both took turns at the helm after a while. In Castelsarrasin we moored just under a pedestrian bridge in front of the park with the War Monument, a lovely quiet and cool spot. Bill and Bob took the bicycles to the supermarket to buy sausages and things for an evening barbeque. While they were gone, Doris and I lay on the grass in front of the boat, did some reading and even took a short nap. In the evening, where we were setting up the barbeque, we noticed a young couple who were fishing very close to our boat and who seemed to be enjoying their time together so much. As the sun set, they started to catch one fish after the other, all very large. The last one was 22 lb.. The fish were carp which they do not eat. They weighed them, took pictures of them and then, they were placed back in the water with such care. It was great to watch them do it. I took some pictures with my camera, cut them a disk, and the next day they brought us a flat of the most luscious tomatoes from the young man's father's garden. We made a great tomato sauce for a pasta the next day.

As we were getting ready to leave the port to go to Moissac, Bill emerged from the engine room with bad news. There was water in the engine, he thought it was grave, so we decided to leave him alone to sort out the problem. It was market day in Moissac, so we called a taxi who took us there and told us to call him when we were ready to leave. The market in Moissac is fabulous. They have clothes, fabric, shoes, and of course, the most wonderful produce, meats and cheeses all produced locally. We had a great time there and Doris was able to buy a few gifts for her friends back home. We kept in contact with Bill by phone, and were told he had sorted out the problem. It was not as grave as he thought and we could leave anytime. Since it was lunch time, we sat in a small restaurant by the Monastery and had a light lunch, called the taxi and in 20 minutes were back on biesbosch ready to go. The trip to Moissac was beautiful, the weather was cooler than the prior days, and a fabulous day of navigation was had by all. After the Pont Canal we wanted to go down the lock to the River Tarn, tie up at the wall by the river with 3 big peniches we had seen from the distance. As I called to ask the lock keeper to ready the lock, we were told they were closed and would have to wait until the next day at 10:00 am. The port in Moissac was full, but we were told we could tie up along the key at the bend entering the lock. It was no easy task, without bollards to tie to. Fortunately, there was a sailboat who lent us some stakes and soon enough we were tied up and secure. The port in Moissac is parallel to the River Tarn, and along the river banks, the trees are plentiful, there is a walkway and downstream, a beautiful old mill which has been turned into a hotel. We took a walk along the banks and Doris got her feet went in the river water. She was looking for a place where she could swim, but there was no easy way to get in safely. She had broken a couple of Ribs on her trip to Italy and was still in pain.

The next day we were at the lock promptly at 10:00, so we turned upstream to go as far as a Chateau on the hill and another mill about an hour ahead. The river navigation is to me the best. There is such openness and feeling of freedom and our Biesbosch loves the rivers so much. Ahead of us we encountered The St. Louis a beautiful hotel barge which takes people from Bordeaux to The Canal du Midi and which we have encountered numerous times while in this area this year. We turned at the mill and navigated downstream as far as the Base de Loisirs, a very wide part of the river with a small port and where the River Tarn meets the River Garonne. When we returned, we tied our boat to one of the big peniches on the river, got off and went for a walk. Along the banks we encountered a group of men who were playing boules, so we sat on the bench in front to watch them play. Another great thing to experience. The men were curious to know where we were from, we talked for a while and back to the boat. We had an appointment to go up the lock at 3:30 PM. This time the lock keeper was alone, so doing a double lock for several boats all afternoon was a hard task. All the time he was pleasant and managed to smile at everyone. We had a bottle of cider, which we gave him with many thanks from our hearts. He was a real trooper.

Since our car was in Malause we went back there arriving late afternoon, so Bob and Doris could pack and leave everything ready for their departure. They wanted to invite us to dinner, but we decided it would be easier to eat on the boat. I made a fresh tomato sauce with the tomatoes we had gotten from the young man, lovely onions and fresh basil from my own herb garden. It turned out delicious, of course accompanied by some good wine and our dear friends. It could not get much better. The next morning we all got up early, drove to Agen for their train was to leave at 10:00 AM. We had time to have a coffee and croissant at the station before their departure. Needless to say, saying goodbye to them was terribly sad. We had such a wonderful time and shared so many wonderful moments together that we hated to see them go. Their vacation was not over yet. They had three days in Paris which they enjoyed immensely. The best thing for us was to hear them tell us that the highlight of their vacation was their stay on Biesbosch. It was everything they wanted; a time of total rest and relaxation, and we were happy to have been able to offer it to them. We look forward to their next visit.




A barbecue in Castelsarrassin



A 14 lb. carp. Castelsarrassin



Bob at the Helm



Captain Doris



"Apero" time by the lock in Moissac



Our guys had a lot to talk about



The River Tarn upstream from Moissac



Doris getting her feet wet in The Tarn



Chateau on The Tarn



A great couple