Foulain
Seascapes Travel Log
Michael Grew
Sat 11 Jun 2011 16:39
Canal bank Nr. Foulain 10.06.2011 48:02:76N 05:12:47E.
Awoke around 07:30hrs to sound of “Ygraine’s” engines, looked out of the cabin and waved goodbye to Ann and George. We finally set off in company with Ann and Gareth on the cruiser “Ruby” at 09:00hrs. Then we got a phone call from George to say that he had got to the first lock and had been given a rollicking as he had not arrange his passage with the VNF Eclusiers (lock keepers) and was told to wait until people that had booked (us) had passed through first. They did in fact relent and we did not pass “Ygraine” until several locks later. All the locks are now going down, and I know it sounds daft but the canal itself seemed to be going down a steep hill. A weird sensation! A very uneventful trip through very rural countryside, Very much looking like the English countryside, except all the fields are about three times the size of ours. We finally stopped for the night at 15:00hrs (after 24 kilometres and 15 locks) on a canal bank near the village of Foulain. Gareth and I went cycling up to the village to try and get some bread for the morning, without success. The only Boulanger was closed until tomorrow afternoon (?) One thing we did find interesting, was a go-kart track, where a lad was riding a very small monkey bike around as though he was Barry Sheen (if you remember him). Back at the boats we had “chin wag” with Gareth and Ann (well we listened and they talked). Spent the evening knitting (Maureen that is), reading and playing cards. A bit of a cold grey day, let’s hope tomorrow is brighter.