Canal Boat trip - Agen, France



Simone on deck

  We started the canal trip in Agen France and motored to Boe where we stayed the night. On arrival and with strong winds we finally managed to berth the vessel with a little help from our new found friends. In actual fact their kind assistance was born out of fear of our boat colliding with theirs under trying conditions. After a few attempts we were safely moored. The crew was then fed, watered and put to bed. We all fell asleep exhausted from our first day on the water.

We overslept and arose late the following morning with our goal to reach Moissac. A full day's boating. It was pull up anchor and open up the throttle. Full speed ahead, which in fact was a leisurely 10 knots on the canal. The first loch was a bit nerve wracking. The pro's and con's were considered before pushing the green button which would surely send our vessel to to the bottom of the loch or raise us to the new water level allowing us to continue up stream. After the gates closed and the water started to flow we new we had made the right decision. A collective sigh of relief was had and renewed our confidence in navigating the remaining 9 lochs before reaching our final destination(Moissac.)




Moored at Moissac




Travelling along canal

Travelling along the canal was very scenic and allowed us to take in the rich provincial sights of the region.



Market day at Moissac






Art on the street

 
Moissac was a truly beautiful city.
After a big day on the water we moored perfectly alongside the other boats in a cosy little port.
The wind had disappeared earlier in the day and so we enjoyed a warm, calm night in this quaint little village.

We awoke to the sound of music.
Market day in Moissac as well as a bustling little sidewalk sale right behind us. This set the day for a party atmosphere. We stayed in Moissac all morning eating, drinking and poking around before a mad dash for the draw bridge before 12.30 which sees the bridge closed for their siesta. We waved to the gate keeper with 5 minutes to spare as we headed off back to Agen. Another big day on the water with music blaring and waving to all the locals was a lot of fun.

Moored succesfully in Agen, cooked up a storm, slept soundly, handed the keys back and set off on our next adventure. Cinque Terre.

St Pierre sur Dropt (Lynne & Bryan's)



Lynne & Bryan's Ponderosa

  Lynne & Bryan's house was fantastic. The work they have done is amazing - they have a beautiful home with a stunning garden.

It was great to catch up with the Rowes for a few days and we were able to enjoy some relaxing and enjoyable times.

We went to a ropes course which the kids really enjoyed. Zenya displayed her excellent gymnastics skills up high in the tree tops. It was great to see all the kids having so much fun.


Beautiful Garden




Laura on Ropes Course


We visited a small village market one day which followed with an enjoyable picnic at one of the local chateau winerys.

We then did some shopping in the beautiful town of Bergerac.

Bryan & Drew took on the local tennis pros & came out exhausted but victorious. The Kiwi/Aussie duo proved to be unbeatable on the day but the French guys are keen for a rematch on our next visit. A spot of chainsawing and a round of golf kept the boys busy.

Great food, great friends and a plethora of activities made for a great visit.


Lynne & Jen at market


Thanks guys for a fun and relaxing time. Just what we needed after a few weeks on the tourist trail.

Fina  the dog was a big hit with everyone along with the chooks, chicks, cats, rabbits and goldfish. A real farm stay.
 

Bergerac




Fina



Thanks to Lynne, Bryan & family for their great hospitality. We all had a memorable time staying in St Pierre sur Dropt.

St Pierr

Paris



Room in Paris




Kitchen



Arch de Triomph




Eiffel Tower



In Paris we stayed in a busy area called Abbesses. It had many great shops and restaurants and was the perfect place to be based. We were able to catch trains to all locations from here. Our accommodation was fantastic; a little appartment on the first floor in a quiet court.

Eiffel Tower by day

We went to the Eiffel Tower during the day and also went back to see the lights at night. We also visited the Arch de Triomph, Louvre and Notre Damme Cathedral.

Street where we stayed in Paris


We enjoyed walking the streets of Paris and took many great photos of interesting people and sights!




Michael at top of Eiffel Tower



Munich-Freiburg



Neuschwanstein Castle





Hohenschwangau Castle




Hohenschwangau


We left Munich and headed to Freiburg. On the way we stopped at two amazing castles near Fussion, Germany. We spent the afternoon touring the castles and really enjoyed listening to the stories behind their construction and  history .


Freiburg



Freiburg



Freiburg Church

Freiburg was a lovely town full of friendly Germans! Unfortunately it didn't live up to its name of being the sunniest city in Germany. We enjoyed a fantastic buffet lunch in one of the shopping complexes and also enjoyed a bit of afternoon shopping (the girls that is!).
We also managed to fit in some viewing of the Royal wedding at our hotel. For the first time in a couple of weeks we had BBC TV and were therefore able to watch the wedding in English.

Munich



Munich



Drew at Dachau

We spent a couple of nights in Munich, Germany.

After touring the main city and seeing the sights of the town we then headed to Dachau, a concentration camp just out of town. It was interesting learning about the history of the camp and the terrible things that happened there.

We also visited the site where the Olympic games were held and at the same time popped next door to the amazing BMW showroom.  The children(including Mum & Dad) picked out their favourite vehicle!

A great time was had in Munich. 

Dachau



Enjoying a drink in the Beer Garden





Innsbruck and Salzburg



Hats in Innsbruck



Dogs life in Innsbruck





Innsbruck and Salzburg were fun towns to visit. We visited the old part of Innsbruk and enjoyed shopping here.



Street in Salzburg



Gardens where 'The Sound of Music' was filmed







Eating gelati in Salzburg

We spent a day in Salzburg. We climbed up to the castle and looked around and then drove to a few of the places which have been made famous from The Sound of Music.