We spent our first week in Paris with Friends, Helen & Iain, who came over from the UK. We had hoped to be moored up in Paris on Histoire d'eau when they arrived, but, because of a commercial dispite between the PAP (Port Autonome de Paris), who run the waterways around Paris, and the new operators of the port at Grenelle, the port was abruptly closed earlier in the year. We'd hoped it would open - but it did not. Consequently we hired an appartment in the Marais area.
This is a very interesting part of Paris. Once a marsh area (hence the name Marais), in the 12th century it was cleared by the Knights Templar. From the 16th century onwards the aristocracy built large residences in the area, a trend which was accelerated by the creation of the Place Royale; built by Henri IV in 1605. Today this square still has the original buildings and is called the Place des Vosges.
There are many other attractions in the area such as the Carnavalet Museum (which displays the history of Paris), the Picasso Museum, the Hôtel de Sens (built in the late 1400s and owned by the archbishop of Sens, it's one of just three medieval private residences remaining in Paris), the Hôtel de Sully (built in the 1620's), and many more ...
The streets in the area are also great - old, long and full of coffe shops and cheap restaurants. The area is traditionally a large Jewish area (I bought a suit and some dress shirts from a taylor there) and is today I believe also well represented by a gay community.
After Helen and Iain left to go back to London, and before our son & daughter-in-law (Michael and Liv) arrived, we did have a small low point. We went out for the day leaving the apartment securely locked, and on returning and attempting to open the apartment door, found there was a hole in the door where the lock used to be!
We had to call the estate-agent because we couldn't get in, even though we knew we'd been "done over". The agent arrived with a key to the connecting apartment, thinking we could enter there and then go through it and into our apartment, but we then discovered that the lock in the adjoining apartment's door was stuffed also. The agent then called a locksmith - who immediately came and let us in. We found our apartment was indeed ran-sacked, as also was the adjoining apartment - they had busted through the connecting doors. Fortunately our passports and credit cards which we'd left inside the apartment for safety sake had not been taken. They were still there; we found them strewn around all over the bed. What was taken was our computer, a new GPS, the two shirts I'd just bought (still in the packaging), a couple of bottles of Champagne we'd saved for when the kids arrived, and finally a backpack - in which, I guess, they carried it all out.
The police were called and said the thieves were in their opinion professionals, given the way they broke in. We had to wait around the next day to let the police forensic guys in; they dusted for prints - but found nothing. Later that day I had to go to the local police station and make a statement; which I needed a copy of for the insurance claim anyway. All quite an experience! The police were however very friendly and helpful, given how poor our french is, and helped us through the process without too much drama.
For those of you who were wondering why there was a long period of time, from July to December, during which time I did not update this web-site, the reason is simple - I had no computer during this time.
(You might wonder why I didn't just immediately buy a new one in Paris ... The reason is simple - I still am not used to the French keyboards, which are laid out quite differently to the normal QWERTY keyboard that I am used to. I tried to buy a QWERTY keyboard in Paris, but they are just not readily available.) Hence from this point onward in the diary, the 2008 entries are retrospective.
Putting the burglary episode behind us (a small hiccup really - nobody was hurt and nothing was stolen that could not, eventually, be replaced under insurance), we enjoyed the rest of our time in Paris with our kids, who arrived a day later. We did a lot of walking, sight-seeing, cafe visiting and general eating & drinking, as you do in Paris, and had a terrific week with them.
Courtesy of Liv's knowledgeable input with regard to the Arts (she manages the "Castan Gallery" in Melbourne), we also visited a couple of great art galleries. They were, at least to me, different and interesting, and some of the exhibits were stunning.
We finished our week in Paris on the Thursday morning and picked up a hire car. We had all been invited to a friend's wedding in Germany over the weekend. The wedding was at Flensburg, a small town almost on the Danish border, and since driving there is a big drive for one day we decided to break the trip up by stopping overnight in Amsterdam on the way there, and in Brussels on the way back.
Amsterdam:
Thursday August 14th.
While we didn't have a lot of time to do any "touristy" things in Amsterdam, given we were only staying overnight, I think it was a good choice for a stop-over. Liv had never visited Amsterdam before, and for the rest of us it brought back some good memories of the time we lived in The Netherlands between 1988 and 1991. We stayed near the Dam, did a bit of walking, visited a "brown pub" and ate a "rijstafel".
Flensburg (Germany):
Friday August 15th to Sunday August 17th.
We arrived on Friday night in Flensburg, and went to the apartment of our friends Helen & Adrian. It is their son, Sam, whom we have known since he was a baby, who was getting married. Sam and his wife-to-be Vanessa live in Switzerland, but Vanessa and her family all come from Flensburg - hence the wedding here.
The town is both old and pretty, built around quite a large harbour, and the wedding was held at the old castle located on the outskirts of town.
Unfortunately we couldn't stay for the lunch on the Sunday as we had to get the kids back to the airport and we had to get back to Histoire d'eau (which is being baby-sat for us in Meaux, in France).
Brussels:
Sunday August 17th.
We drove to Brussels and stayed the night in a hotel near the centre. The kids flew from Brussels to Italy where they were also going to a wedding - Liv's sister, Steph, so we said good-bye to them here and Pete & I drove back to France.
Canaux du Centre (Back in France):
2008: Monday August 18th to Sunday August 31st.
Meaux to Lagny to Moret-sur-Loing to Neronville to Montargis to Montbouy to Rogny to Ouzouer to Briare:
Thursday August 18th to Friday August 29th.
Now were back on the boat with some friends - Rod & Ann.
(It was Ann who looked after Histoire d'eau for us while we were in Paris and at the wedding in Germany).
We also met up with John & Ann ("Petite Princess") and Derek & Jan ("Raphael") at Lagny.
Good to see them again (they haven't changed!)
Cruised along the Canal de Briare over the next 3 weeks. I have to apologise for the lack of photographs - it seems Pete was on strike between Germany and Briare.
Bannay to Menetreol/Sancerre:
Saturday August 30th to Sunday August 31st.
We are now back in the great wine country of the Loire Valley - commencing our trip along the 'Canal Lateral de Loire'. From here we cruise through familiar territory, and hopefully get to try a few more Loire whites.
You can click here to go directly to the September 2008 web page ...
click here .