burgundy
part ii
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to Part I
Today, another morning cruise
...
... and with our intrepid
crew (Nigel and Michael) steering us safely through the river
mist ...
... we were soon into sunshine
and Luciole was snuggling into the next lock.
Increasingly bucolic banks
yielded a variety of wildlife. Here one of many herons that we
saw flaps indignantly away from his fishing and kingfishers flashed
across our bows, sandpipers and wagtails skipped along the water's
edge and some of us even saw an otter sporting in the water!
Not only bucolic but hilly
too, and aren't those vineyards on the far hillside?
Aah Ha! That's where Mr
Heron went ... or is it another one?
And then it was time for
lunch! Our young and more than capable chef, Carlene, and Debbie,
the Captain's missus, dispense the delights and 'wax-lyrical'
on the wine.
There's no way I'm going
to miss any of these meals! They're so-o healthy! And delicious?
Are you kidding?
Yes those were vineyards
we had seen earlier. Here we are overlooking a historic and world
famous 'terroir' - the Grand Cru slopes above Chablis village
...
... while Michael explains
and extols before we retire to the 'cave' for the obligatory 'tasting'.
Mmmm!
Back at our moorings at
Vermenton, a group of children catch a shaft of evening sunlight
as they traverse the weir.
....
No morning cruise today,
instead a visit to the Saturday market at Avallon - all that could
be expected of a French market, onions, garlic, cheese, bread,
wine ... etc, etc. Then back to our vessel for the now expected
delicious dishes and our onward journey.
I think some of us over-reacted
to the first low bridge we encountered, but Nigel did have to
unship the steering wheel for at least one bridge!
A small flotilla of swans
came to inspect us as we reached our next mooring - Mailly-la-Ville.
The late evening sun burning
through the curtains of the saloon made our dinner table setting
additionally attractive ...
... and had a similar effect
on the view outside.
Continued
in Part III
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VISTAS
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