Our friend Doris wrote up a list of ways she has enjoyed passing the time while canal boat cruising.
Observe and study:
The geology.
The variety of trees.
The flowers and shrubs that grow in that climate.
The farms and houses, the construction of the houses.
The decoration of the houses and yards.
Animals on the farms and the breeds.
The crops that are grown in the area.
Maps of the area.
The birds : kingfishers that look like tropical birds, herons, swans, songbirds, and storks.
History of the area from Roman times forward with Professor Devere.
Discuss the wine grape varieties grown. The wine that is made from them.
Walk along the towpath—the boat does not move that fast.
Stop in the towns, stroll around.
Shop in the local stores: wine, cheeses, fruits, charcuterie, vegetables…
And every boulangerie one spots.
Enjoy leisurely breakfast.
Delight in lunch on deck.
Converse with intelligent, educated, caring, thoughtful and humorous new found friends.
Assist with cooking if you enjoy that.
Participation in yoga/relaxation.
Stretch out on deck and meditate on how your life choices brought you to this glorious spot in time.
Enjoy the sun sparkling on the water, reflecting and bouncing around your cabin.
Read the book you brought.
Do boat chores: sweeping, wiping up dew, tidy the lines, do dishes, handling lines while locking;
Operating the locks (sometimes 10 or more a day) requires all hands on deck for line handling, fender positioning, distance calling and more.
There was a poetry recital one evening; bring a favorite to recite or read and share what it means to you. Music and singing add to the merriment.
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Dear Sara and Dave,
Lauren says, “It’s the best vacation I’ve ever been on.” Our Paris and barge trip truly was a wonderful trip! You two did some exquisite planning. Thank you for that. I think we both felt much safer going on the trip. Thank you for the TLC shown to us; we certainly felt cared for.
I think of wonderful French bread, croissants, and delicious fromage choices – and let’s not leave out the wine! Yummy! Good to learn about the [French] wine and wine in general.
I loved our communal meals and our conversation times. As I said, such planning!
Thank you again.
Love, Catharine & Lauren L.
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Dear Sara and Dave,
Thanks again for organizing such a fabulous trip to the Loire River Valley. We could never have imagined what a joy it would be to travel in a European Country by boat.
We loved the peaceful hours cruising through the countryside punctuated by the diverse array of outings: quick trips into small towns to search out the morning’s bread and pastries; hikes through postcard-perfect vineyards rewarded by winery visits and wine tastings; and hours exploring charming cites by bicycle and by foot. And, of course, we also loved the not-to-be forgotten fun of moving the boats through the locks!
Sara, we appreciated your experience at pulling together perfect European meals; the tableau of wine and cheese, bread and fresh produce, and market-day meats and delicacies that we spread across the table every day provided a feast for the eyes and for the stomach. Dave, thanks for guiding us in finding the perfect wines. We already miss your mini wine classes and fascinating stories. You are both great hosts and traveling companions.
The trip was a perfect balance of activity and down-time. Never boring! There were always things to do and places to go when we wanted to be active; always moments to steal away to read or stare at the scenery when it was time to relax.
Thank you so much for planning such a grand adventure, and for introducing us to a great new way to experience Europe.
Jane Reed & Rick Kollath
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David Devere and Sara Duke were excellent hosts and trip leaders for our Canal boat excursion thru the Loire valley in France.
Dave also arranged all of our transportation needs plus hotel, museum passes, tour bus passes, metro tickets and maps and directions for our days in Paris prior to boarding the canal boat.
I was the oldest in age on any of Dave and Sara’s trips so far and most activities were within my scope. There was also plenty of opportunity for private reflection or in our case sunny sightseeing on deck.
Dave’s wine lessons before meals were looked forward to by all and leadership and comment at the various wineries we visited was very welcome. ~ Dennis & Vicky Z.
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David and Sara,
Thank you for being such wonderful travel partners during our trip to the south of France. I appreciate your willingness to laugh long and hard at something humorous and to stay up until all hours if there was something worth discussing.
David, I don’t think you forget anything you read or experience. The connections and comparisons you made for Carolyn and me were wonderful. I especially enjoyed our talks on medieval life, European history during the World Wars, and contemporary French culture. Your knowledge of wine production and tasting were especially pertinent to the area we traveled.
Sara, you are the perfect savory to complement David’s sweet. I really appreciate your tireless efforts to find the right food and drink pairings. Your guidance always gave us the best view of the sunset and I enjoyed your excellent counterpoint to some widely accepted views during discussion.
Our canal trip in France was smooth, well rounded, and memorable — like a great bottle of French wine! Thank you for your attention to detail and preparedness. ~Kris and Carolyn K.