FROM CHATILLON COLIGNY TO THE SEINE

I drizzled the morning we left for about two hours, but then it cleared up beautifully. This part of the canal is very pretty, the locks are all from 1885, many of them have beautiful and elaborate gardens. At one of them there is a beautiful pipe organ, a giant music box, that as we entered the lock started to play a happy tune. Imagine, a serenade in the middle of the day! The lock keeper told us that the great grandson of the man who built this organ kept the business and repairs and even builds new ones. As we locked down he played 3 tunes for us.

Our destination was Montargis, but being that there was going to be a jazz concert on the weekend, we thought we might not find a mooring at the Port de Plaisance. Ronnie and Nigel had been there for a couple of days and sent us a message letting us know there was no place to tie up. As we approached the port, Nigel signaled us to tie onto his boat, we did just that without asking if it could be done.

After we secured the boat, I changed and walked downtown to the bank where my new credit card had arrived. Montargis is the city where last year our friends Debbie and Richard left from. It is called "The French Venice" for its many canals. I did a bit of window shopping, checked out some of the good stores, and as it started to rain I got back to the boat to find Bill and the port captain talking about the fact that it was not permitted to tie up onto another boat for safety reasons. At that hour the canal is closed, so there is no other traffic at all. We thought that argument was weak. He called his boss, who came down to the port and, rather than argue, as his work day was coming to an end, decided to look the other way, to our delight.

Nigel and Ronnie had seen an Indian restaurant they wanted to try, so we all changed, walked to it, about 7 minute walk from our boat, and had a very good meal. Next day we left ahead of Ronnie and Nigel, but soon after the 2 locks in town and just after the commercial port, Bill spotted a Bricorama by the railroad. This is a store much like a Home Depot. We tied up Biesbosch and within the hour Bill was back with a box full of things for the boat. Nigel and Ronnie went by and stayed ahead of us until we got to the Seine.

We had thought we would tie up at the port in Moret sur Loing, the town where Alfred Sisley lived and died, and which we so enjoyed last year. But the moorings were all taken, so we continued on the Loing which flows into the Seine at St. Mammes. We tied up onto a pontoon in the Port de Plaisance, right on the river, along with Ronnie and Nigel, and have been here for 5 days. Sunday they set up a market along the quay, very picturesque and very good. I even found mums for my flower pots, which I planted right away.

We had heard of a restaurant in Moret that belonged to a Colombian lady and a French man, but did not even know the name. We ventured to go by foot along the river to see if anyone knew of it. In town we inquired in 3 different restaurants from one end of the town to the other. Our friends were able to see the town, until finally the owner of the Cheval Noir told us it was beyond the other side across from the river, about ten minutes away. The place looked beautiful, smelled delicious and we were hungry, but were turned away. No reservations, no place. Sunday lunch is very popular with the French and a reservation is a must. As we got there a party of 7 had been turned away although they had come from Paris. I joked about having come from Colombia, but it did not work. Luckily, nearby there is a very good Chinese restaurant where we had eaten last year and we had a great meal and a good afternoon after all.

On the way back to St. Mammes, we stopped to see Ronnie and Nigel's friends aboard Sterna, who were moored on the side of the canal. It had started to rain, and the guys wanted to see the start of the US Grand Prix. Mike and Pippa, got out the wines and goodies, and we wound up staying until about 8:30 PM
The next day I did laundry, some painting, Bill did work on his dashboard, so we felt very good and productive. Tuesday morning I called Le Relais de Pont-Loup, the restaurant in question, made a proper reservation and after a long day's work, we walked to Moret. The hostess recognized me from Sunday and remarked that I had persevered. "You will not be disappointed," she said.

The restaurant is an old and elegant house with an enormous garden, very tastefully decorated. We later found out that it was the owner's grandfather's house. He, the owner is quite a character, interesting and very humorous. His wife is the chef, so we did not get to meet her until the end of the meal. The food was fantastic, as were the wines we chose. Mme. Moncada sent us some champagne--on the house--to have with our dessert. She came and chatted with us for a while, and it turned out that she is from Bogota and knows my brother Diego and his family because they go to Providencia Island when they go to Colombia. What a small world!

Our friends Ronnie and Nigel left yesterday and will continue to travel until August. The will be exploring the Champagne region. As for us, we will stay here tonight and tomorrow we will continue upstream on the Seine to the confluence of the Yonne in the direction of Auxerre. We shall see what new experiences this new river will bring us. We cannot wait.


Port at St. Mammes


Sisley painting of St. Mammes


Organist lock keeper


Blokzjil and Biesbosch at Montargis


Mike and Pippa on Sterna


Farm near Nemours


Biesbosch with big barges in St. Mammes

WE ARE CRUISING AGAIN

As it turned out, to our dismay, we were not able to get on the Paris flight from Atlanta due to an error from one of the Delta employees while rewriting our ticket. Fortunately a couple of hours later there was a flight to Barcelona which we made without a problem. The flight was wonderful and we had a chance to truly unwind in Business Class with good service, food and wine.

We arrived in Barcelona early in the morning, took a taxi to the train station, put our luggage into lockers and set off to make the most of a beautiful sunny day in the capital of Catalonia. The Estacion de Francia is by the port, which to us was an opportunity to go look at the array of yachts, sailboats and catamarans of all sizes and conditions which are moored there. Barceloneta is a very interesting area off from Las Ramblas with great restaurants and cafes. After a long walk, we settled for a restaurant recommended by our taxi driver. It is by the water and its specialty is seafood. The Salamanca was exactly what we were looking for, a great paella-like dish with lobster, a truly delicious experience.

After lunch we walked up Las Ramblas, enjoyed the flowers, merchants and mimes, and most of all the unique feeling of Barcelona. We then walked to the Gothic Quarter with its narrow cobblestone streets, walked into Santa Maria de la Mar, an impressive church which was always a point of interest to Sylvia's students while on their annual trip to Spain. We had booked a couchette on the overnight train to Orleans, which included breakfast. We left Barcelona at 9:15 PM, got settled in two cabins. The one next to ours was empty, and the conductor told us we could use it to store our luggage. Around 10:30 we went to the restaurant car, had a drink, and upon our return, found our beds already made inviting us to go in.

It was a beautiful night, and though we were jet lagged and exhausted, despite the comfort of the beds, sleeping was difficult. The train jolted and jerked about all night. We did rest, but got little sleep. Around 6:15 AM our lady porter came to wake us up. We got dressed and promptly got to the restaurant car for a very nice breakfast, well served with good coffee and croissants. Around 7:45 AM we arrived at the outer station in Orleans and promptly got on the adjacent train going to the main station in town. The station chief told us we could leave our luggage with him until about noon, just before our departure by bus to Gien, a10 minute ride from Briare. Just as we did in Barcelona, we walked the old section of the city with a beautiful cathedral, lovely markets and shopping centers, as well as very nice banks along the River Loire. Orleans is in the history of Joan of Arc.

The ride was about 1 1/2 hr. We were dropped off in Gien center, called a taxi and in 15 minutes we were on our Biesbosch. We arrived on a cool dreary day, so the boat and the port looked dreary as well. Bill got immediately busy connecting the power, filling up with water, installing the gas and other essential things. I started the process of making the bed and unpacking. By 10:00 PM we could not stay awake, so we went to bed and slept like logs. We got up at 11:00 AM the next morning. We really needed the rest after a couple of sleepless nights. Saturday was spent finishing unpacking and going to the market. Sunday, it was a gorgeous sunny day, so we decided to go to the nearby castles that we had not had the time to visit in the fall. We visited 6 very different and lovely castles. This eastern side of the Loire Valley is less known for its chateaux than the famous western side of it that dons chateaux such as Chambord and Chenonceau. Of the ones we saw on Sunday, the most impressive to me was St. Fargeau, an enormous XII century castle, beautifully preserved and well kept. There was La Bussiere. built on a small island on the river. This one is from the XVI century and has some of the most beautiful gardens I have seen. It is called "The Castle of Fishermen" as it holds a collection of fishing gear dating back to medieval times. A true charmer was a small hidden castle called Ratilly accessible through a narrow dirt road, set on a hill, with a beautiful view of the valley below. Pont Chevron, a modern chateau by American standards, is a n XVIII century gem. St. Brisson, on the outskirts of Briare is another beauty set up high on a promontory over the Loire with beautiful round towers, where they have a demonstration of the use of the old catapults used for the siege of castles. Gedelon is unique in the sense that it is a castle being built since 1998 by a group of 35 people using medieval techniques as well as tools. There are blacksmiths, rope makers, basket weavers, etc. It was quite interesting to see.

On Monday, a warm sunny day, we washed the boat down and left it sparkling clean. On Tuesday, our friends Doug and Susan Cruzan arrived on Quo Vadis and came to look for us at the port. We had not seen them since we took the PP exam in 2004. They bought their boat 2 years ago in St. Gilles, next to The Me, and have been cruising north to go to the DBA Rally in Paris. We had a very nice meal and evening on Biesbosch and made plans to meet along the way. The following days we organized, got rid of things we did not need and started preparing the boat for cruising. On June 7, we left Briare, Said good bye to Pascal, our very nice and warm captain, and set off for Ouzouer sur Trezee. Somehow, locking up in these locks was a lot easier than locking down. We had an easy cruise to Ouzouer, where we arrived early and saw Quo Vadis on the quay. They helped us tie up the boat, I did some laundry, we had drinks on the deck and a nice dinner prepared outside. The next day we left around 11:00 AM and had a beautiful day of cruising. We stopped at Dammarie, tied up the boat to the side of the canal and walked across the bridge to see the old town's washing basin fed by a spring by the edge of the river. They have planted lovely gardens by it, the path that leads to it is quite charming, and the washing basin is in excellent shape. We made two more locks including the beautiful flowery one of La Picardie and tied up the boat to have our picnic lunch by the Gazonne Reservoir with its white swans and numerous ducks.

Our destination was Rogny els Sept Ecluses, a place where we could not stay on our way to Briare last year. The name comes from the staircase of seven interconnected locks built in the early XVII C when the Canal de Briare was built to connect the Seine to the Loire. The locks are a beautiful sight, now a monument visited by many. The lock keeper told us we could tie up the boat by the bottom of the seven locks, which we could not believe. What a spot! We got off, walked up the to lock, to admire this beautiful work of engineering. We then walked to the town of Rogny, visited its lovely XII C church, walked down to the port and along the canal to find a small deli where the owner sold products from The Gatinais, the department where we are. We bought some delicious cider and apple juice. After our cider was chilled, we sat on deck admiring our lovely surroundings and enjoying this delicate drink as well as our tranquility.

After a good night sleep and a good breakfast with fresh bread from the local boulangerie, we set off to Chatillon Coligny where we would be meeting our friends Ronnie and Nigel who were one day away from us. When we got to the port, Chantal, the lady captain, recognized us from last year and welcomed us with open arms. She said she'd come later to see the boat. After I did some laundry, she showed up with a chilled bottle of cider--perfect for a hot day -- and came aboard Biesbosch. She could not believe what she saw, from the expression in her face. She wanted to see every feature of the boat, and was very impressed by Bill's craftsmanship. According to her, Biesbosch is more comfortable than her house. She did not stay to join us for a glass of cider because she was working, but she hoped we stayed until Wednesday, when she'd be back to work.

Sunday, another warm and sunny day, was spent on paint touch ups, rust sanding and deck painting. The new paint on the deck is a light gray nonskid, very attractive and easy to apply. By the end of the day, the boat looked great and we were exhausted. We showered and went into town to get something to eat. We found a restaurant bar where people were sitting outside enjoying their "apperos"so we decided to do the same. Inside, on the large TV screen the Canadian F1 Grand Prix was about to start. We decided to stay to watch the start, and when we asked about eating, they said they would let us watch the race there and they would bring the food to us. Bill had a pizza, and I a very good and hearty salad, a couple and beers, and before we knew it, the race was over. The new MCLaren driver, Hamilton won the race. We were very happy to see this young talented driver take the podium.

Monday we woke up to a gray and rainy day. What a contrast! Our plan for painting outside had to be changed. Ronnie and Nigel arrived in a downpour while we were guarding a spot for Blokzjil along the quay. We helped them tie up, came in for coffee and had a lovely time with them. We made plans to have a raclette together. They would supply the wine and dessert, and we the rest. Around 5:00 PM it cleared up, so we went into town to buy the meat at the little butcher store, the cheese at the market, etc. We walked with Ronnie and Nigel so they could see the lovely things Chatillon has to offer. Around 6:30 they came over for some of our champagne and then we took our dinner to be shared on their gorgeous boat, the best feature being an open deck behind the wheelhouse, where they usually eat. The wines we had, especially the Santenay were superb. The food was good and plentiful, but best of all, our time spent with our wonderful friends. We hope to meet up with them again before we get to the Seine and we all part in different directions.

Bill has been doing some electrical work on the inside of Biesbosch since yesterday. We now have reading lights and fans on both sides of our beds, as well as a spot light by or music area and one by the stairs. Today he is connecting the indirect lighting over our kitchen counter. It is difficult work, but he has done a superb job of concealing wires and making the job look totally professional. Just before lunch, a friend of Chantal's whom we had also invited to see the boat, showed up with a beautiful glass bottle in a bluish green color that we can use for serving water. He, as well was truly impressed at what he saw. He is looking for a boat about the size of ours, so he got a lot of ideas from it.

In the afternoon I recieved an email from Rosemary Millis, owner of Anfra with some information on a boat rally that will be taking place the last weekend of July on the Canal du Nivernais. I downloaded the info, and Bill and I decided to take part in it. The organizer called us tonight, got us all excited, so it is a go! They will be having all kinds of activities all weekend, and so far there are more than 20 boats registered for the event.

Tomorrow morning we shall be leaving Chatillon to go to Montargis. There is supposed to be a large Jazz concert there, so we hope we can get a mooring. We shall see. It is always sad to leave a place where you have been so welcome and you felt so at home, but we take with us the lovely memories and the experiences we so intensely lived


Chateaau de St. Fargeau


Chateau de Guedelon being built


Chateau de Ratilly


Catapults at St. Brisson


La Bussiere


Susan and Doug Cruzan on Quo Vadis


Biesbosch in Ouzouer sur Trezee


Break at La Gazonne


Rogny les Sept Ecluses


Rogny XII C. church


Washing basin at Dammarie


Ronnie and Nigel arriving at Chatillon Coligny


Chantal and Sylvia at Chatillon Coligny

A WEEK IN COLOMBIA

On May 22, we flew from Miami to Bogota for Sylvia's mother's 90 birthday celebration. We stayed at Sylvia's sister house until the 26 when we drove to El Quindio--coffee growing region -- where the event took place. While in Bogota, Sylvia had the opportunity to meet with a few friends from school, and Bill was able to relax for a couple of days. My nephew and his family were in Bogota, so all four Montoya sisters had the children for a whole day and enjoyed them tremendously.

On Saturday the 26 we left Bogota at 6:00 am. Sylvia's sister, Maria Victoria and her children were in another car, and the rest of the family was already in Bambusa, Sylvia's nephew's hotel doing all the preparations. It took us 7 hours to get there.

Upon our arrival we were shown to our beautiful room with a view of the pool, gardens and the mountains behind -- breathtaking view no matter what time of the day. We got settled and soon after were summoned to the dining room for a wonderful lunch. It was the first time in a few years that all six siblings were reunited with Sylvia's mother, Sofia. She looked great and was very excited to have all of her children together. One of Sylvia's nieces came from Mexico for the occasion. Sofia's two sisters, Ines 92, and Judy, 86 were there as well as Sofia's nephews and nieces who live in Cali, a two hour drive to Bambusa. There were 29 of us.

Needless to say the conversation was animated at all times, the decibels higher and higher, and large quantities of food and fine wines were consumed. A great time was had by all.

On Sunday, May 27, a mass was celebrated for Sofia. She was later surprised by her children with musicians who played all her favorite songs while the family celebrated with another wonderful meal. It was a great opportunity to spend time together and to share such a special occasion. Santiago, Sylvia's nephew and his employees went out of the way to make our stay memorable. Bambusa is an incredibly beautiful place where the weather is perfect, the sunrises and sunsets like no others, the shades of green numerous, and the birds that fly around, most unusual. It is truly a magical place.

Monday morning after breakfast, we said our good-byes and left for Bogota. Sofia stayed in Bambusa with her sisters for a couple of days, and the next day we were at the airport at 6 am waiting to get on the flight to Paris.

OUR LAST FEW WEEKS IN USA

Reflecting upon the time passed here in USA, I must say that it has been wonderful. We have spent a lot of time with family and dear friends and have shared some great experiences with all of them.

After Richard and Debbie's visit, we had the opportunity to go to Talladega, Alabama on Juan Pablo's plane, which by itself was a fabulous experience. We flew out of Boca Raton with Connie and the children and stopped in Orlando to pick up Juan Pablo and continue on to Talladega. The airport is adjacent to the track, so it was easy and convenient for all of us. That weekend they were to stay in their new motor home at the track. Connie and Juancho were very anxious to see how it had turned out, so we drove immediately to it. They were very pleased with the way it turned out. It is spacious and beautiful--much better and prettier than their prior one.

When we got there, our friends Skip and Jill from California, who have in the last couple of years been living in Alabama, were there to meet us. We stayed with them at their house about 45 miles from the track. Even though it was Wednesday before, there were already hundreds of campers and motor homes along the highway ready to participate in this event. On race day there were over 200,000 people at the track. This is one of the great NASCAR events of the year.

We had a chance to take Pablo and Libia to Skip and Jill's home in Rainbow City and to have a fabulous southern barbecue meal on their deck over the River Coosa, quite a spot! We also took a boat ride, motorcycle rides, and even golf cart rides. It was great being with them although it was short. At the track Libia and I spent a great deal of time with the children and enjoyed watching Sebastian, 2 years old learn to ride a bicycle. All the NASCAR tracks have parks for the children of crew and drivers in the area where the motor homes are. Both Paulina and Sebastian love going to the park. As far as the races went, Juan Pablo finished 7 in the Busch race and quite far back in the Nextel Cup race. All and all, a great time was had by all, and soon after it was over, we flew back to Boca Raton and drove to Miami from there.

The next couple of weeks have been spent doing some shopping and having a lot of medical exams done. Unfortunately all the appointments were given to us during one week, so it has been rather intense, especially for me. So far, all is good, no problems. A nice break was Mother's Day at Connie and Juan Pablo's apartment. They had just had their terrace done, so they had a Mother's Day party for the mothers in the family. The view from the top of their building is breathtaking and the decoration as well as the food, superb. Juancho arrived at 7:30 pm coming back from a race, just in time for a beautiful sunset and a good time with Sebastian in the Jacuzzi. We all gave each other little gifts and had a wonderful time.

Pablo and Libia left for Bogota last Tuesday, and we are getting ready to leave this coming one, and in view of the fact that I will not see the children until next winter, I spent the afternoon with them yesterday. Katalina brought Valentina today so we could say good bye. I hate leaving these beautiful babies, to whom I have become so attached. This evening and tomorrow morning we will be packing, and in the afternoon we will go to the beach with Stella and friends. On Tuesday our plane leaves for Bogota at 5:00 pm. We shall be staying at my sister's house until Saturday morning, when we will be driving to the coffee growing region of Colombia to my brother's ranch where the whole family will be gathered for my mom's 90 birthday celebration. We are very much looking forward to being together again and sharing some good family times. We return to Bogota on Monday and fly back to Europe on Tuesday.
We plan to start cruising right away, so be sure to check the blog for future European adventure posts.


About to board plane


Libia and Sylvia


With Paulina during flight


With Skip and Jill at The Ark


Skip and Jill's house in background


Team members and Sebastian


Sebastian before race


Quite the crowd!


Sunrise at Skip and Jill's


The Montoya family

TWO GEAT VISITS

April 13 our son Ian arrived in Miami for a short, but fun filled visit. We drove to Ft. Lauderdale to pick him up on the first flight of the day which arrived at 6:00 am. The flight was a bit delayed and the wait seemed endless. Once he arrived, we were so glad to see him that it did not matter how early we had gotten up or how long we waited at the airpot. On the way back home, we stopped for breakfast and as soon as we arrived, Ian went to sleep for a few hours. He was to be here for only three days and he wanted to see Pablo's boat, as well as Juan Pablo's, so we took him to see them, of course.

My nephew Gabriel was in Miami that weekend, so Pablo and Libia invited him along with Ian, Bill and I and Katalina, her husband and baby to go to Elliott Key for the day. Libia and I prepared a lasagna in the morning before we left and had a beautiful day of sailing. For Ian it was a great day with the family that we all enjoyed. Lunch was great and afterwards we watched one of Juan Pablo's races on the boat. He did well and the race was very exciting. In the evening after our return, we went to Miami Beach to see Juan Pablo's boat. Al berto, the captain showed Ian around and we stayed for a while visiting with him. The next day after breakfast, Bill took Ian to see JP's F1 car,n which he really wanted to see. Libia had prepared a special lunch for Ian at home, so after we ate, we rushed over to the boat to see the Nextel Cup race in the Hotpass channel. Each weekend NASCAR picks 5 drivers, each of which has a designated channel, and one can watch the race from the driver's seat and perspective. It is a most exciting way to see the race, but also very intense. It was also a good race, and we all finished feeling emotionally exhausted. In the evening we went home, worked on our photos, spent time together and retired for the evening.

Monday morning, we got up before 5:00 am to drive Ian back to the airport. Although it is far from Miami, we made good time and got there early enough. We sat and visited with our son some more until it came time to say good bye. Needless to say, we hated to see him go through the gate, but at the same time started looking forward to seeing him in August when he comes to visit us in France.

The following week, our friends Debbie and Richard from California came to see us for a short three-day visit. They were going to stay in a hotel nearby, but our friends Justo and Stella offered to have them stay with us in their guest house, which turned out to be the best of ideas. We did not waste any time driving to and from downtown and instead spent all the time together.

The first day after a late lunch at a Cuban restaurant, we came back to the house and took a break sitting in the garden among the trees in the company of Justo's wild birds. The weather was fantastic, we did a lot of catching up and drove to South Beach so they could see how that whole area has been recovered. All the Art Deco buildings are remodeled, and there are hundreds of sidewalk cafes and restaurants with nothing but beautiful people all around. We parked the car and walked along Lincoln Road, where Debbie and I did a bit of shopping.

The next day,we drove down to the Keys as far as Isla Morada. It was a great ride, especially the part where you are driving along with the east coast on one side and The Gulf on the other. Again, it was a gorgeous day. We stopped for lunch in Isla Morada at a place called Morada Bay. The restaurant is literally on the beach, Bahamas style, an unbelievable spot. we ordered drinks, then a great lunch, and then moved onto the sand for dessert and live music by a bahamian male singer with a beautiful voice. We spent the afternoon in the sun enjoying the sand, the waves and the company of our good friends.

Next to the restaurant there is a very beautiful and very big store wher they sold fishing equipment and clothes. Inside, they have Hemingway's boat fully restored, along with memorabilia and photos of his fishing expeditions. Debbie found some things to buy and after that we drove back to Miami. The next day we took a boat ride on El Mico with Pablo and Libia. This time we went as far as Boca Cheeta Key, a former privately owned island which has a beautiful lighthouse and lovely harbor. We had lunch on the boat after we anchored there and took the dingy to shore to explore the island. It was great walking along the small beach and seeing the large sting rays and mantas that are abundant there. After a lovely day, we arrived back at Crandon Park Marina after dusk to find that the sailboat moored in front of El Mico had sunk. We could not believe it! There it was in the bottom of the water, only its masts sticking out. What a terrible loss for its owner.

Saturday morning after breakfast, we took Richard and Debbie to the airport, all of us very sad to say good bye. We are so thankful to our friends for coming to see us, and happy to have been able to share such lovely times with them.

Key Biscayne & Crandon Park Marina


Our Apt. Bldg.


Leaving for Elliot Key


Ian, Valentina and Katalina


Ian


Father and Son


Lunch on El Mico


Bill, Richard nd Debbie at Isla Morada


Good friends


Richard and Debbie


After lunch at Morada Bay Restaurant


Love birds


Boca Cheeta Key


Richard and Debbie