Barge Date:  08-10-2018

Route back to Strasbourg

It has been hot.  Hot, and no rain for about 4-5 weeks.  Gets to where we take showers to cool off. The problem is bad enough that more notices are made for canals with low water levels.  The good old Meuse that gave us trouble last year and early in the summer, has closed the first 6 locks in France.  This means anyone wanting to use the Meuse for the Belgian/France route is out of luck.  And if you remember that picture back a few posts of the collapsed lock, then you know that there are no options in the north central part of France for north/south travel.

We leave Saverne towards Strasbourg and make a mistake right off the bat.  You have seen the hand

operated clickers used to start the lock process.  But another method involves hanging a rope across the canal that must be pulled so you can be put in the queue for upcoming locks - maybe 4 or 5.  Not realizing that this method is now starting - I think the first time in our barge life - we are gliding past when it dawns on us.  The light is green so we figure we are fine. But then, as we are going forward, the light turns red. We stop, try to back up,  seeing 2 boats coming up on us (and probably laughing, but actually they look confused too) we have them eventually pull the rope for us.

Now we just have to stay alert for these signals and line up the boat so Marianne can give it a yank.

Not much excitement on this leg of the trip.  As we slide into Strasbourg we pass the EU Parliament building.  We are skirting the city to get to the south side where the marina is located.  This is just a short distance from the Rhine. They have us moor bow in which is not usual for a 18 meter boat but this allows them to stack in more boats and maximize profit.

Strasbourg has a very nice tram system.  Once we learned how to purchase tickets we used it for almost all travel in town as the marina is on the southern edge of the city.  We followed the tram map one day to go to a very nice park, the Parc de l'Orangerie. This park is working to increase the stork population so you see them out and about, in a "cage" used to make them think this is home, and on the top of buildings.

The boat will be here for about a week but Marianne has plans to go off by train to see some of the sites close by.  We will visit 2 towns and 2 castles but since the towns are somewhat similar in look I will kind of run the story together.  We visit Colmar, Obernai and Haut-Koenigsbourg.  We stay over 2 nights in Colmar.

These towns and Strasbourg did not suffer damage from the two world wars and the war in 1870. Thus, the layout of the streets, the buildings and churches all have their original look.  Colmar, in particular, is a big draw for tourists. They come from all around the world. I notice that the Chinese seem to outnumber the Japanese. Both groups love to take pictures - mostly of themselves with a building in the background. Can't believe that they can use so many pictures of themselves.

Our hotel; our room did not have a canal view but was nice.

Obernai is a much smaller town but again with nice old buildings and churches. We take a tourist train around town and then up on the overlooking hill.  This is wine country and the vineyards make their way up the hills.

The last trip is mostly to see old castles and take in the view from on high. From the floor of the Rhine with extensive bottom land for agriculture you have the Vosges Mountains rising up to the west into France. Not big mountains but high enough that they made for good defensive locations on which to build a fortress or castle. The origins of some of the forts go back 1000 years or more.

The large castle shown below was refurbished by the Germans when they had control between 1870 and 1918.  So at least the French got something for the misery brought to them.

We also stopped at another castle to watch birds of prey.  The site sits high above the valley and the program has the birds soaring about.  One bird loved the experience so much that it took extra food to get it to return.

Did not stop at Monkey Mountain.

Will let the pictures do the talking.

Obviously an arrow shot thru this window will hit its mark.

An interesting note on Colmar.  We were walking around and were stopped by a man that noticed my Princeton T-shirt.  Wanted to know if I went there, famous college and all.  So we explained and thought nothing of it only to learn that Princeton is a sister city to Colmar.  The famous sculptor, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, is from this town and the replica of one of his works is featured in the city of Princeton.

Marianne will be leaving the boat soon to return to the  US but with a stop to see family in Brussels.  JingLei goes off to college soon and could use Mom's help.  I will remain with the boat to do some work on board.

Barge Date:  07-24-2018

The Sarre and the Inclined Plane

It has been some time since I wrote about travels so perhaps that is a sign that not a lot of major places have been visited. But some interesting pictures perhaps.

East from Nancy, we headed for the Canal de la Sarre.  We went down the canal and headed north for the German border. Here are some pictures along the way.

Lorraine and Alsace are areas of Europe that have been home to storks.  But like too many birds, their number has gone dangerously low. So several towns have programs to bring the big bird back to their local area and buildings.  You have to look up to find them but often if you look down and see large white areas on the sidewalks you know to look up. Saint Nicolas du Port and Sarralbe are two such towns.  In particular, for Sarralbe, they have created a city trail  by placing brass stork medals in the sidewalk that you must follow and then look up to catch a view.

Saint Nicolas also has a nice church which is interesting because the inside is very bright. Normally you go in and you work to see things.  Have seen several this year that are inviting.

July 14 is the national day for France but we were treated to fireworks the night before, all from the comfort of our boat.

And still some very nice farm land with a touch of the 21st century in harmony.

Our travels down the Sarre ended at Sarreguemines. We just stayed overnight but found some sights to see and a nice restaurant.  And Marianne found her first WOB (Women on Barges) in some time.  We ended up being with them for several days. This town had been a factory town years ago and some of the buildings seen here were part of the recreation facilities offered to employees.

And proof that we have yet to see it all, how about this boat?

Another fine person we met is John W.  He single hands a 25 meter barge, Johanna, and does "self-catered" trips in this area. But many years ago he traveled to India and began helping the tribal population in the southern area of the country.  By training, he is a nurse, and and he established what is now called a NGO.  His work can be reviewed here:  http://www.nwtws.org

So part of the year he is in Europe then he packs up and goes to his work in India.  We offered some financial support and if you would like to help John's good work the information can be found on his web site.

This is the season for hire boats and in this area they greatly outnumber owner boats.  This is a good way to experience canals in France.  Certainly not a barge experience but you travel the same waters. They range in size for a family of 2-4 to very large with 10-12 people on board.  Very little training is offered so you see these boat "armorized" with fenders.  A boat that has been around for several years show the scars from people just out having fun and doing so too fast.

Going east now on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin we are faced with the big drop. We are somewhat in mountainous area but not big mountains.  This is a problem for canals. Too many locks require too much water and the solution was to build the inclined plane lock, the Saint-Louis-Arzviller inclined plane, and not waste a drop.  Used the hand-held video camera to take some video.

A few years ago there was an accident at this operation.  A larger tour boat that gives rides to people wanting to experience the incline was entering at the top when the caisson suddenly moved causing the boat to be nearly cut in half.  No one hurt, I think, but put the facility out of action for almost 2 years. So much extra water poured into the lower section of the canal that there had to be some evacuation downstream.

The inclined plane replaced 17 locks and a great quantity of water, always in short supply. The drop/lift is about 44 meters (compared to about 3 for the surrounding locks).

As you enter at the top you have a great crowd of people looking at your every move.  A time to look good or perhaps look bad which is always good entertainment.  More details here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Louis-Arzviller_inclined_plane

Our next interesting stop is at Lutzelbourg.  You know you are in Alsace by the German names and most of the boaters are now German. Tied up in town and made a hike up to an old castle ruins that sit high above the town and the canal.  Good pictures, taking time, a long walk, lost then found the trail and a steep decent.

Marianne before learning we must also walk down.

Lionel

Finally, this post ends in Saverne. The canal comes right through town and a big drop lock - 5 meters - is located by a busy restaurant.  Another opportunity to look good or bad. The town has an old castle that many think looks a bit like Buckingham Palace.

A couple of social comments.  We noticed last year and also this year the great number of eye glasses stores.  Far too many it would seem for the population.  In this town I counted 4 in a two-block area with 2 being side by side.  Maybe they all knew that President Macron would push for all French people to be entitled to new glasses every 2 years, I guess paid for by the people. It is now the law.

Clothing - lots of stores which I don't go into but we did find ourselves in a store for babies. Note the pair of Levis jean, shorts in fact, for a baby.  50 Euros. Makes you wo nder what adult sizes might cost.

It has been hot.  Taking some fun out of boating.  Winter project - make screens for all the cabin windows.  Most sunny days in some period of time since 35 years ago.  Today they say global warming;  I don't know what they said 35 years ago.

On to Strasbourg.