Verdun, home of the soul of France for it=s glorious resistance to the advancing German Army in the 1^st World War. The port is great - on both sides of the river there are generous quais with power and water supplied free. The town is right on the port and is full of interesting and useful shops and cafes and the town and surrounding area has many attractions.

The Museum is built in the casemates and tunnels of the fort that occupies most of the high ground behind the town. Unfortunately it is a bit >naff=. You wait for an hour to take a little remote controlled carriage through some tunnels that have models in various >acts= of the story of the siege of Verdun. It is a bit childish and while the technology is interesting (holograms and projections on scrim curtains) it doesn=t actually work well. A disappointment. On the other hand the Centre de Paix has a very good section with a recreated trench that you walk through accompanied by realistic sound effects.

On the Saturday night we opted for a Chinese takeaway from a great Chinese charcuterie and ate on deck to watch the grand salsa concert on the huge stage just opposite us in the port. Brit mew mates joined us with their very docile German Shepherd for the event.

While the port is well serviced, when we arrived we were denied access since the port was full of Dutch and Belgians who obviously outstay their welcome since none moved while we were there. We obtained power however from the obliging owner of the restaurant boat in front of us the Copains d=abord. Just as well since we were there for a week as Maureen went to Paris to work for the Clean Up the World team, over from Sydney to educate their French partners. While she was away I indulged my battlefield interest by taking the battlefield tour which included the Forts, trench lines, Ossuary, a town that no longer exists - shelled to oblivion and now marked only by place names on pickets.

Some work got done as I sanded the Jarrah back deck table and went shopping for the girls return. Maureen was to meet and accompany back to Van Nelle, Rhonda Parker and her friend Pippa who were to have 4 days with us en route to Commercy where they would take the train to Switzerland. On the day they arrived we had news via satellite TV of the bombs in London. That caste a bit of a pall over the arrival but good spirits prevailed with the onset of Champagne and Fois Gras.

We left after the girls had a chance to explore a bit of the town of Verdun and headed to St Croix. En route an eclusier tried to squeeze us into a lock with a 17metre boat. We told him we would not fit and guess what - we did not. We had to back out and wait for the next cycle - a great time waster. On to St Mihiel and at each small town a bit of an explore before well prepared meals and evening entertainment including formal dinners and dancing.

Three days after leaving Verdun we arrived at Commercy where the girls were to go to Lausanne by train via a taxi to Toul station. All this was accomplished with a minimum of fuss and we then moved on to Toul. The port was pretty full but there was an area big enough in front of a vintage boat wearing a German flag. I explained the situation to the owner and assisted in the moving, the German owner complaining all two metres !

On the bike to the local Brico for a replacement light switch - which turned out to be a bell switch and wrong. I returned - up the hill to the Brico to return the article and to obtain a correct model without the benefit of a refund - bah, humbug ! That afternoon we moved to other side of the ecluse and therefore out of the port as requested by the Captain as it was Bastille Day and the fireworks (Feu de Artifice) were to be provided in the port. We found free electricity on the nearby pole which was a bonus and were therefore quite happy, especially as the eclusier had provided a half tonne of water to us while in the ecluse.

We always have a bit to do before and after guests so we mixed in a town visit - museum etc with washing and cleaning - 6 loads of washing !

The weather at this time was getting extremely hot - we had visions of another 2003 when the generator melted but it cooled somewhat as we moved onto the River Moselle to Pont a Mousson. This stretch of the Moselle has France on one side and as you go north, Luxembourg on the west and Germany on the east. An interesting mixture of cultures and architectures, languages and foods now appear making the trip interesting.

We headed off to the market and took the Abbey visit - the Abbey now a cultural centre following Revolutions and Reforms and watched with interest the preparations for the next day=s jet ski races. Trials were held throughout the day and we moved up the quai to eliminate most of the wash from the competing skis. We stayed that night to experience the races the next day and the concert that night. Unfortunately the concert consisted of showcasing the town=s Karaoke stars - most of whom could not sing in tune - so we baled out early to prepare for the next day=s departure.

On to Metz where we moored right in town, past the marina (which was all small finger jetties and full to boot) right under the Protestant church which at night was beautifully lit - as were many of the town=s impressive (and very old) buildings. This is a really lovely town - with architecture both German and French from before, during and after the time Alsace and Lorraine were annexed and occupied by Germany as a result of the 1870 war, through to 1918 when they were returned to France as part of the Versailles Treaty.

We took the minibus tour, which gave a great perspective of the whole city and featured the cathedral, the museum the old town and all its major edifices and even the very German railway station, complete with scantily attired working girls flaunting their wares nearby. Following the tour we visited the Museums - a number of buildings containing levels from the basement where the remains of Roman baths are displayed up to medieval building sections to modern architecture at the top - a really good idea well executed.

That night we walked down the quai to view the buildings all lit up and on to the dancing water fountain set to music with a light show to delight one and all.

The next town was Thionville for and overnight stay but via Sierk les Bains for their castle tour. The chateau was destroyed but the walls and one tower are intact and it dominates the river which it was build to protect and serve.

To Remich - the towns and people noticeably becoming more German now. This town is spread along the river with steep hills behind impeding expansion and along the waterfront are a number of specialist shops selling chocolates, cigarettes and cigars and premium brand liquor -it must be cheaper than Germany or France - we could not find out. There are also many boats on the river front - for tourists and hotel boats with hundreds of passengers.

On to Trier at the confluence of the Moselle and the Saar. We looked in vain for a mooring - nothing - so we turned around and left, taking fuel at a bunker ship on the way out - robbery at 1.1Euro per litre.

On to Saarburg - We are now on the Saar river which becomes a canal further south into France after Sarregemines. It was a long day - 60k and quite a few locks..

At Saarburg the port Captain wanted 28E for night - no way - left to go a short distance to Merzig. A tidy town with a big supermarket is about all I can recall if that one - perhaps at this time we were travelling too fast - unfortunately we had to move on quickly as we to rendezvous with friends in Strasbourg and still had a way to go.

At PK68 (the kilometre 68 mark on the Canal / River we stopped to meet Rolly and Val O=Driscoll, Kiwi friends from the deep south who were heading in the opposite direction. At the 68km point we found a quay in the wild and prepared for a big dinner. Penfolds Chardonnay, L=Amiable Champagne and Premier Cru Bordeaux - a big night with lots to talk about. The next morning we all had slightly second hand heads but enjoyed breakfast together before heading off on our separate ways.

We went on to Sarregemines - where, despite its name suggesting otherwise, there are no mines ! A pleasant town however and a good place to stay overnight before we headed on to Ecluse 16 - where Rolly and Val had recommended the very good restaurant of the same name. We went - we ate and were extremely impressed. A two star Michelin equivalent miles from everywhere.

Now we came onto the Canal Marne au Rhin to arrive at Arzviller and its famous inclined plane. This is a structure built to eliminate 16 locks and is a boat lift that runs up the side of the hill 44.5metres to the summit. Just drive your boat into the caisson and up she goes - opening at the top so you can reconnect with the canal and save a day or more.

And so, on to Saverne a big town with an even bigger museum, lots of shops and a big port that is useless to us as it is almost entirely taken up by small boats at finger jetties. The large boat space is lionised by the hotel boats which wait until the next arrives before departing so that private boats never get to use the space allocated. We had a quick look at the town and museum for our return visit with the Cummins and Carsons in a couple of weeks time. Since there were no moorings, we decided we would have to use the footpath railings that run along the canal side before the ecluse. Having reconnoitred we moved on to Hochfelden to check out the Meteor brewery when tours are held and tastings conducted. We arranged for our group to be accommodated in 10 days time and spent a quiet night moored along the canal bank.

To Strasbourg - where we moored before the lock, near the town centre Hospital. There is a marina through the lock where I made an arrangement with the Captain. A couple of days later as we were to take up the place allocated he denied us the right to come into the port and in disgust I decided we would stay where we were. We had a pleasant location at a park where we had no trouble and saved some cash.

Strasbourg is a great town with lots to do - there are boat canal trips, a huge cathedral with a nightly light show and a daily attraction of the action of the Astrological Clock which is to be found within.. At one end of the town is Petite France, a beautiful area replete with ancient (but very well renovated) buildings incorporating a tourist area with ancient canals, locks and cafes. A terrific place for an afternoon beer.

As we had a few days I had time to painted the side decks and to general titivate the boat so she would not disgrace herself in front of our mates. She came up looking new and so, cleaned and prepared we awaited the arrival of Rod and Miria Cummins and Max and Lissie Carson, all old friends for school and Perth, Western Australia..

Rod, Miria, Max and Lissie arrived and found their way direct to the boat without help having driven directly from Frankfurt where they had just flown in from Oz. ! Max and I took the rental car back after lunch and then met the others in time for the boat tour and a visit to Petite France for a beer before dinner at an Alsatian restaurant when the sauerkraut and charcuterie lived up to expectation and we had some very enjoyable wines from the region.

The next morning we were off early as we had only a few days to get a great distance with plenty to do on the way. On our way out of town and just before the bunker ship where we to take on fuel, we were hit by a rock or a large piece of concrete thrown at us from a bridge. Fortunately it hit the wheelhouse roof, narrowly missing Rod and Max=s heads as they stood at the wheelhouse door. We reported the matter but... what do you do. We took on some 400 litres and headed off to a wild mooring that night and the first of a succession of great meals and fun days.

On to Hochfelden where we were booked for the brewery tour. We moored in the rather desolate port and moved on foot to the brewery waiting at the gate for Maureen and Miria who had gone shopping and joined us just as we started the tour. We departed Hochfelden on time despite the brewery tour guides trying to persuade the team to keep drinking and so - on to Saverne. The team rushed off to visit the town markets and museum after a New Zealand hotel boat owner and I had a contre-temps about him wanting to be where we were and us not wanting to move. We won the argument but I fear we lost a friend as he was well known to mutual friends and when we last met had become sort of mates. Ah well - on to Lutzelburg, a pretty town very much in the small German rural idiom and took a position at the end quai upsetting a nearby German with our generator ! Oh Well.

The next morning I noticed strange white smoke (or was it steam?) from the generator exhaust. This was a very misty morning and we have had no subsequent repeat - so we are at a loss about that - perhaps we had something temporarily blocking the cooling water intake - who knows ?

To Arzviller and team were very impressed with the inclined plane and its machinery. We completed the ascent and waited there to allow the team to explore a bit before moving on to Bataville. The town was built for the Bata shoe factory and our guide book said you could visit and buy shoes.... the town was still there but the shoe factory had been gone for years. We bought some tired stuff in their small shop and travelled on to Einville and the huge Chateau. Unfortunately the Chateau had suffered a fire some years before and was still in renovation and this trip was turning up an unexpected number of attractions that were closed or missing !. An exhibition of strange machines and nice but parched gardens were still featured and the tourist office had an interesting exhibition which we took in before the taxi arrived to take us back to the boat and so on to Nancy

We found a very good mooring in the commercial port with power and water and went exploring.

Nancy is very beautiful especially in Stanislas=s Square - a magnificent large >place= surrounded by buildings all of the same architecture and fenced in huge black wrought iron fences with gold highlights. Scene of the theatre, Opera and Hotel de Ville this is a very impressive square. The old town running off the square houses old shops and other buildings all in fine condition. The port is well presented and all in all a very pleasant place to visit.

We all had a good restaurant meal on this last night of the team=s visit before they went on to Paris the next morning by train. There was a bit of a delay with the taxi not finding us but they got there in the end.

Katinka and Steve (from Queensland) were in port looking after the Gieske=s Tjalk so we had them over for afternoon tea as we were on a four day AFD (Alcohol Free Days - necessitated by the time spent with the team from Perth).

We departed next am for an overnight stay in Toul where we did not even get off the boat but stayed before the ecluse for the night departing early the next am for Void. The name does not really describe the town which has a bit more to offer than empty space - but not much. It=s a pretty town with small canals and locks not usable and a shop that sells regional products. We bought fois gras and wine some sweets and cotton kitchen things for presents. A carnival was setting up so there was the possibility of undisciplined youths and we headed on to Ligny.

The historic tower museum was closed on Thursdays so we didn=t get much of Ligny=s history before continuing on to a wild mooring about 2 hours after we really wanted to stop. In this section you are accompanied by an eclusier and so if there are no places to moor you just keep going. We eventually found a cleared area with one bollard and used some trees for the other line. We moved on in the morning to Bar le Duc.

Bar le Duc has a good little port where we had power and water for a modest fee and were able to take the scooter off to explore the town - luckily since the old town (and most interesting part) is up a quite steep hill some 4 km distant. The old town walking tour is an interesting 2 hour stroll in and out of old buildings - one at night that features a couple of actors relating the story of the town. We found a good restaurant where pizzas shared the menu with 1400 euro wines such as La Tache and Chateau Margaux. We took the Cotes de Rhone option for about 15 e and joined the 100 people on the evening actors tour.

The next day was Sunday and they boasted a free Irish concert but since the weather was threatening they put it in a small hall in the town gardens - which was full to bursting 30 minutes before the concert - we abstained and prepared top depart the next day.

On to Revigny - the town was closed for annual holidays and so on to Pargny and then Vitry le Francois where the Marne au Rhin joins the Lateral a la Marne - direction Tours sur Marne - our favourite place to try and buy Champagne. We moored after the town near a derivation for the night and began the next am for Tours arriving after following an extremely slow barge for hours at about 2pm. Arranging for a visit the that afternoon to their vineyards 6.6Ha we then retired to their caves for a glass before buying two and a half cases of Grand Cru, Pinot Noir Millesime and two Chardonnay only Grand Cru.

It rained the next day so we relaxed and read and thought about what we would do if it didn=t rain - which we decided was exactly the same - recline and read. Time to service the gen set the next morning and then by scooter to explore the surrounding district including the Bois of Twisted Trees, the Champagne Museum at Verzenay and to Verzy where the Aviation enthusiasts have created a small museum to remember the English squadron that operated there till the Germans in 1940 then the Americans in 44. They have a French military light ambulance plane and the front of a Jaguar fighter and rooms full of memorabilia. M was taken on a grand tour by a French Air Force pilot while I explored the cockpits.

The scooter gave us a fright as it stopped delivering power on our way to Verzy. A vigorous shake was enough to set it right and we bravely continued without further incident.

The phone rang at about 6 after we had returned. Caroline and Matthew were on there way. We tidied up and on their arrival broke open the champers and made them a quick meal and slow drinks till 1.00pm. Breakfast the next am with croissants from the Intermarche and they left for St Jean de Losne having come from the UK.

We departed on Monday for Port a Binson all other ports en route occupied by contented Dutch filling all available (free) spaces. The town again was closed as it was still a holiday weekend but a funeral gave some interest and the boulangerie opened as I returned from a long walk. The port was quiet despite the arrival of another boat and we had a quiet night before heading for Chateau Thiery the next day.

Chateau Thiery has a long concrete quai which had a Dutch hotel boat on one end taking water. They managed to put themselves fully bogged as the boat settled as the water level next to the quai is only a metre.... We watched as they then attempted to free themselves, ending up moored (?) a couple of metres from the quai. A couple of other boats arrived including an English canal boat and another UK couple on a pretty little barge - 100 years old and once a milk carter.

The next morning was presaged by a thick fog which kept us at the mooring till 1000. As we rounded the corner we ran into it again and had visibility for less than 100 metres for the next hour or so. It finally cleared and we continued to Meaux where the port was nearly empty. We bought our tickets for the Pageant the next night and decided to go the Euro Disney that day.

Euro Disney was a place that we had thought about but not visited and since it was close to Meaux we decided to take the bus and see what Disneyland was all about. Some 6 hours later, severely rattled by some of the rides (Space Mountain and the Runaway Train especially) we returned to Meaux for the evening Spectacular Pageant. There was much more to Disney than the rides. We took the old railway around the park, went on Nemo=s submarine the Nautilus, took a boat ride, had lunch in Toad Hall, went to the >Small World= of the fairy stories and the space tour on several Star Wars planets, walked the town centre and Main Street and passed by the Adventure world, Frontier world and a few others. Quite a day and quite a place but much better without kids I decided.

The Meaux Spectacular we had seen 4 years before but this time we understood a lot more and since it was on a night after a month break for the 600 cast members, it had the feeling of an opening night. The >Spectac= traces the history of resistance around Meaux from the very early days through to the second world war, uses 600 actors, 3,000 costumes, horses, cars, canons, fireworks, orators and singers to get the message across. Very professional and well staged with good lighting sound and special effects.

Olaf, Greta and Leff were sharing a week on Olaf=s yacht and were moored across from us. We got to know a bit about these three friends from Norway and shared a chat and a laugh or two while in Meaux.

Then on to Paris to the Marina at Grenelle - now renamed Marina Tour Eiffel. Patrice the new Captain welcomed us at the extreme end of the Marina where we were able to stay for three days then had to move to the outside of two other barges for the final day. We discovered Patrick and Gerry on Mededinger - we saw them at Toul and were later joined on out outside by David in

Paris. All the things we had not done before including the Bois de Boulogne, lake and Garden de Orientation, the Cemetery Pere Lachaise to see the tombs of Chopin, Edith Piaf and Jim Morrison among others. Café Eustache - no Jazz, Refuge de Fondu - closed till Monday, the city waxworks museum - moved to new location and the Conciergerie - open and very good.

Out to a Jazz place - supposed to be free but actually charging 7e each plus exorbitant drinks - we left without paying and went to another that was at least up front about their costs - the jazz was pretty ordinary - an Italian guitarist drummer and bass. We left after an hour and took the Metro back to Grenelle - On the metro so youths being obnoxious were confronted and an argument ensued where I took the high moral ground if not actually winning.

Fuel and oil were arranged and were supposed to be delivered by 1000 but were delayed putting a hole in the day. The rest of the stay in Paris should include a visit to the military museum, Mme Tussauds and later the Refuge de Fondue where apparently you drink wine from baby bottles.

Wednesday the Louvre and possibly the Luxembourg Gardens and then our departure to Fontainbleu, St Mammes, Sens, Migennes and Auxerre for the arrival of the Banks and LeFauchers from Perth... and so - on we go.

2005 JOURNAL