Sunday 23rd June Heart warmingly Nice people.

Tea in bed at 7 for the crew, the skipper was certainly frisky today. Fixed a couple more trim pieces and coated the new table. Shaved and ready for inspection by 8, we set off for a Sunday morning stroll taking in the impressive aquaduct over the loire from a rather different viewpoint from yesterday.

 

 

The gardens of grand old houses rambled down to the  old quay along the river. We stopped for a picture on a curiously new modern bench. Why does it always happen?

We did take a good one without her drifting into it!

Back to investigate the town by day, Lovely narrow alleyways

 

it was a very different proposition from the thumping frenzy of music and activity of  just a few hours previous. As always we gravitated to the church being readied for Sunday mass. What a corker!

Talking of corkers, the boulangerie opposite was a wee bit special. We left with a round cob for a change, a fruit tartalette for the crew and a pate en croute (sort of pork pie) for me.

 

The post office is a bit special

 Sunday breakfast was a delight. Bacon sandwiches.

 

We slipped lines at 1pm heading for Paray le Monial, a relatively short hop. As we pulled away from the quay Collette heard a call of Doucette. It was Nick and Pam on Fleury who had just arrived. Nick immediately told us to come alongside for a drink (he has still clearly not sorted his drink problem), we rafted up and caught up on each others winter movements which was lovely. It was a bugger because we would love to have had more time but we really had to crack on so it was all too quick a rendezvous and we were all too soon saying farewells once again. See you when the fog lifts guys!

A nice easy run saw us at Paray by 4ish when a rather lovely thing happened. Whilst securing Doucette, an elderly local couple walking their dog stopped to have a chat. My French was severely tested but we sort of got through. Half an hour later they presented us with their card and Bernard asked if he could take a photo of the crew and I. Michelle his wife found it humerous that there was collette Doucette and the dogs name was chausette. They left and we settled down to a cup of tea musing on how friendly the French are and how maybe it was a reflection of this very important religious town. Suddenly a knock on the wheelhouse.  A beaming Bernard had returned with a printed copy of the photo he had taken and a jar of his own home made abricot jam. I did not quite know what to say. Would that ever happen in blighty? A lovely little incident and we have now contacted Bernard and Michelle by e-mail and they want to follow our blog so nice one! It gave us a nice warm feeling all night. Thank you Bernard and Michelle.

Despite pretty cold and overcast conditions, I cobbed the joint of pork from our farm shop. As with previous purchases it was superb moist and succulent accompanied by lentils and a fromage assiette to finish.

What with seeing Nick and Pam and the incident with Michelle and Bernard, it had been a day to reflect on what a  wonderful time we are having  on these waterways and just how nice people can be still in this sceptical world we live in.