May 12th Saturday - Amiens to Lamotte

May 12th Saturday - Amiens to Lamotte

10.5km

Upon waking at 7.30am I drew the curtains to see people carrying baskets & bags all headed for the market set up on the river bank opposite the restaurants lining Port St Leu. We were leaving today so decided to stock up on some vittals. The market was pretty small but very popular. We returned to Doucette with a good cache. Lettuce, rocket, potatoes, tomatoes, spring onions, goats cheese poivre, mushrooms, baguettes, homemade butter & a chicken. Collette demanded that the butcher remove its head before purchasing. We also started to feel part of the long termers brigade as Collette bought a tub of daisys which now adorn the upper helm. Very nice they are too. We decided to adjourn breakfast and set off toward Lamotte. The next lock and one I remembered well from last years trip.

The short trip was magnificent as we passed through Amiens famous hortillonages. A vast array of small market gardens interlaced with tiny waterways. The market we had visited today was a small reminder off early days when quite literally 100's of punts would gather on the very quay we were moored on & sell their produce fresh from this spectacular water based market garden. Today most are holiday homes & many more are interest in flowers & garden displays than vegetables. However as we drifted past we were given cheery waves from several proud owners toiling in their immaculate vegetable plots.

We soon arrived at the lock where our lock keeper waited patiently. This lock had provided me with my laptop screensaver for 10 months since our last visit & as the lock keeper doted "it is the most beautiful lock on the Somme" & that is high praise indeed.

We tied up, breakfasted on grapefruit, prunes & greek yoghurt before Collette set about re-organising the boat & I caught up on my blog.

We got the bikes out & took a delightful ride along the river & ended up in the tiny village of Blangy Tronville. The Saturday boules tournament was in full flow. We discovered 4 grit playing areas & this was serious business. A round chap clicked his boules in one hand & surveyed the undulating surface as he slowly retraced his steps from the jack to his throwing point. His thick calves displayed under his cut off track suit bottoms, the xxxl red football shirt with his snickered competitor number bursting to be free of the strangled waistline. He tossed, the boule landed 4ft short of the jack, slowed down & like a magnet the jack drew it in & the boule chaperoned it a further 2ft down the track never more than a 'fagpaper' distant. It was truly magnificent & yet the heavy onlooking crowd hardly murmured. This was obviously no fluke.

We returned slowly to Doucette making note of a 2km marked walk which we intended to do tomorrow. We relaxed with leffe & pastis & just enjoyed the solitude & birdsong.

Cooked the €14 poulet with baked potatoes & added a salad washed down with more leffe & pastis. Sky was cloudless & by 10 it was getting pretty cold. We returned to the saloon where I was treated to 2 episodes of Downton whilst the genny purred away & everything electrical got charged. Crew excelled by making by twice making me tea with earl grey t.bags - fw!

Weather - mix of sunshine & cloud but a chill wind. Nice in sun. Cloud cleared at dusk & cold.