Ballooning around the Alps in Switzerland

We flew at a balloon meet last weekend, in Crans Montana, a VERY POSH ski resort. We were asked to fly the Crans Montana balloon, so Peter was the 'Hare' for every flight (but in Switzerland, they call it the 'renard' or fox). The flights were spectacular but the down side is all flights had to be only about 30 minutes long due to wind currents and landing opportunities.

Discovered a gem of a restaurant

Happy New Year to all, and we wish everyone health and happiness in the years to come. We went on a drive to the North and found a 'Plus Belle Village' as listed in the Micheline Guide called 'Les Plus Beaux Détours de France'. But better yet, in the old village square, we happened upon a tiny restaurant called 'Les Sommeliers'. We had a 2 course meal that rivalled anything we have ever had, for $16.00. The service was spectacular, the local wine superb, the ambiance warm and friendly... even the 'loo' was decorated with warmth and flare! Loved it. I had a starter (smoked salmon, creme frais on blinis, which I shared with Peter) and a main (baby deer slow cooked in wine). Peter had a main (three types of fish in a cream/wine sauce, and a dessert of roasted chestnut cream cake roll which he shared with me). Love being in France!!!

Merry Christmas to Everyone

We are going to cook a goose on the barge today, in our small oven! Indeed, when we bought the goose at the 'live poultry market', we measured it to make sure it would fit in our oven! I also think we will be having 'goose' left overs for the next week or so. The smallest goose we could find was 3.75 kgs (8 3/4 pounds).

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, health and contentment.

Back on the Barge in southern France.

Peter and I are back in France on our barge.

Yesterday, we drove to Andorra high in the Pyrannees on the border. Andorra doesn't seem to belong to either France or Spain, although they speak 'catalan'. PV and I wondered how they were able to maintain their principality throughout history! Maybe it wasn't worth conquering by the different factions? Anyway, everything is duty free, as we discovered! So we spent lots of money on wine, clothes, gifts, and exotic food. We had great fun.

We even bought a whole parma ham for 19 Euros!!! (That is a whole ham for about $A25.) I now have to learn how to slice it very thinly. It is supposed to last about 6 months!! So we thought with a little effort, and some help by our friends/guests, we could eat it all by next July.

The weather was strange up there. As we climbed the mountains, the temperature started climbing and got up to 10°C (50°F), and it was raining. But then the more we climbed, the colder it got and the rain turned to slush, then huge snowflakes falling softly. It really felt like Christmas! (I have a hard time relating to Christmas when I am in Australia and we go to the beach on Christmas Day!)

Back in the Hunter Valley

We have just returned to our home in the Hunter Valley in Australia. We flew from France to the U.S. for a week to visit with my elderly Mum (94 and still living alone and doing well), and then on to Australia. My body is so mixed up time-wise, it doesn't know if it wants to sleep, eat, or poop!

Anyway, the barge is neatly tucked up in Port Castelsarrasin in the South of France.

All is well. If anyone wishes to contact us, we can always be reached on PV's phone, +61 (0)409 383 727.

Settling in for winter.

Castelsarrasin is a lovely town. Everything is at hand including the most fabulous market day every Thursday. Now if the weather would just co-operate... it has been very windy until today... and now it is raining. I hope that doesn't prove to be the norm for winter.

Windy days are NOT for barging.

Peter thinks I am super woman. He expects me to jump off the barge onto the shore with the barge going full pelt in the wind, run with the ropes to the nearest tree which is often across a paved path, wrap the rope around a huge tree trunk, and stop the barge. I have failed three times and our entry into the last three locks has been by gosh and by golly, let alone bumps and bangs.

No one has told us about the wind in the autumn months, but it is ferocious! Our barge does not cope with wind, and nor do I, so I have found out.

And then... we finally stopped on the side of the canal with great difficulty, pounded our stakes into the ground, tied our ropes off... and 2 hours later after the locks had closed, we found that the water level had dropped about 30 cm (one foot), leaving our behind high and dry on silt and the barge tilting at a precarious angle into the canal. PV called the emergency number in France, to find he could leave a message. Miraculously, by about 4 in the morning, the 'lock fairy' had heard our plea and restored the water. We were floating again.

With luck we should be at our winter port tomorrow, and we can relax. However.... our hot water system just blew up spectacularly while Peter was taking a shower! What fun and games we are having at the moment.

Barging is lovely 98% of the time... 1% is exciting, and 1% is just awful.