River Cruising Water Cooler

[CPT Trips]

Interesting that the discussion turned to Roebling. His wire rope manufacturing facility combined with the steel mill and company town his family built were the primary reasons that the lift bridge I posted above was required rather than a lower clearance bridge. Both of those received their raw materials via ship. 

[Coral]

On 4/3/2023 at 9:34 AM, Canal archive said:

This is ours which when I first saw it looked just a bit scary.
 

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge reopens http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-31787804

 

Is this the sister bridge you were talking about in the other thread. Here are my pics from Bilbao. You are right - a bridge conversation over here 🙂 

 

[notamermaid]

Looks like it is going to be a "burning hot" Easter in Paris. A certain person's favourite restaurant has been set on fire. I think the French are not protesting about the macarons not being good there though . The strikes are getting a tad worrying. If you are getting ready for a flight to Paris and a river cruise - hope all goes well and be careful.

 

Found this website with info: https://www.cestlagreve.fr/

 

notamermaid

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Looks like it is going to be a "burning hot" Easter in Paris. A certain person's favourite restaurant has been set on fire. I think the French are not protesting about the macarons not being good there though . The strikes are getting a tad worrying. If you are getting ready for a flight to Paris and a river cruise - hope all goes well and be careful.

 

Found this website with info: https://www.cestlagreve.fr/

 

notamermaid

 

The sans-culottes have returned!

[Canal archive]

Just don a silly hat put a clay pipe in your mouth - be you man or woman and then ladies pick up your knitting needles you’ll blend into the scenery. 
Seriously just be careful from experience the French police may seem scary but they know what they’re doing. We were in a restaurant near the Odeon when all hell broke loose some years ago and the police were great, anything to protect their precious holiday visitors. As long as it’s clear by July I’m happy 😆 

[notamermaid]

Normal trouser legs here, no culottes, or any French-speaking people. At least I have not encountered any today, "just" some Spanish people. All quiet on the Rhine where I am and have been today. A somber, rainy Good Friday full of thoughts about the state of the world and religion. But I have made it, I have been on the water! Remember, it is ten years this week since my river cruise on the Danube. Been on a ferry only and then said goodbye to an excursion boat (the bit that was actually quite a spectacle at this sleepy harbour on the Rhine). But godda dash now, to the stove and cooking.

 

Details some time in between Easter celebrations and work.

 

notamermaid

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

5 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Details some time in between Easter celebrations and work.

 

notamermaid

Happy Easter!

[Canal archive]

Our Easter celebrations really have nothing to do with the religious meaning but more of the Spring solstice but whichever way you celebrate enjoy your eggs the more chocolate in as many ways as possible the better. 

[notamermaid]

18 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Happy Easter!

Thank you. the same to you.

 

Everyone have a great Easter weekend. However you celebrate.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Midnight. It has been an Easter Day with a surprise short visit from a relative and a surprise e-mail from a worried colleague. Good to speak to my folk and try to banish the small problem that needs sorting at work by me (my tourism job demands Easter weekend working). The lamb dinner was good and the small cake from the local baker's a delightful dessert. Good conversations and I have ended the day listening to Händel's Oratorio "La Ressurezione". A work that shows the hand of a young man, with "imperfections" but genius unfolding. Well, cannot listen much longer. Time to go to bed.

 

All the Best.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[CPT Trips]

This is an interesting bridge. 

 

[Canal archive]

We overnighted on our narrowboat in Paddington basin once and that Bridge is definitely spooky.

Okay not a bridge but how to get a boat up and down what used to be I think 11 locks it’s fashioned like a Celtic axe the only boat lift of its kind in the world and one of two boat lifts in the U.K. The Falkirk wheel is an absolute must to ride on.
 

 

 

[Daisi]

We have this one on one of our canals. We've been up a couple of times, it's interesting watching the boats go through. Not sure I'd enjoy being in the front position though. 🙂

 

 

[Daisi]

Also on the same canal is this one. In the fall, they fill the lock with canoes for a charity. 

 

 

[Canal archive]

A few couples we met on one of our cruises told us about and had used the chute and mentioned the lift lock now that is something else wow.

[1of4]

@Daisi I have been one of the canoeists 🛶. My husband’s family are all in the Peterborough area. 

[notamermaid]

The rolling bridge in Paddington definitely needs a nickname - how about caterpillar? Or does it already have one?

 

We only have mundane bridges on the Rhine as far as I know, I guess the most exotic one is the wooden bridge right up there past Basel. And ordinary ferries. There used to be flying bridges (reaction ferries) and floating (pontoon) bridges. Almost all gone. I think there is one of the former type left in Basel or thereabouts. And normal locks. All those weird and wonderful works of engineering are on other rivers, I posted the Lahn tunnel and the "banana lock" on the Main. I would love to see a ship come down on the slipway at Koblenz. It is obviously a small shipyard for repairs so not sure if I could plan that. Would be plain coincidence I guess.

 

Good Friday I went on a car ferry to celebrate (I have mentioned it) but it was over sooo quickly. Getting photos sorted and will post a bit more. The ferry crossing at Rhinau several years ago, which is in my current avatar photo, took a little longer.

 

notamermaid

 

[Daisi]

@Canal archive, they are both something to see. We will often take a weekend and drive up to Peterborough and a bit north to see the lift lock. There is another one just a bit north at Kirkfield, but it's not as high, only 15 metres. Here is a video of how it works, it's more like your Falkirk Wheel.

 

 

@1of4 my nephew did that for a couple of years, he worked at the Canoe museum while at Trent. 🙂

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by Daisi
Add video

[Daisi]

Sorry, guess my video doesn't work....

Edited April 11, 2023 by Daisi

[gnome12]

2 hours ago, Daisi said:

Also on the same canal is this one. In the fall, they fill the lock with canoes for a charity. 

 

 

I have both watched the lock, and cruised through it. There is also a nice visitor centre here. 

[Canal archive]

Over Easter it was the Devizes to Westminster canoe race on the Kennet & Avon Canal and because of the water levels on the Thames only 35 very experienced paddlers were allowed to take part evidentially the locks on the Thames had both top and bottom gates open. 
Usually the youngsters take two days and the speediest are SAS or SBS watching the experts is something special.

[Daisi]

Once the creeks and rivers crest here, we do "rapid runs" down them with the canoes. Right now, flood levels are still on (and some ice), but hopefully soon. Used to have fun at school - make our own rafts and see which team could survive intact to the end....bonus points if all came out fairly dry as well. 🙂

 

[ural guy]

Happy belated Easter to all, from Ponte de Lima, Portugal.

 

My February bike camino ended 2 weeks before it started with a knee issue.  Luckily able to cancel without penalty.  My spouse and my Easter trip is proceeding according to plan.

 

Last year we came over, and stayed 3 nights at a Quinta de Agra, a vineyard you can stay at, from the 1600's, and in same family for 300 years.  Beautiful gardens with fountains that run through the property and terraces.  We were invited to attend the local priests home visit, where he  blesses the household.  Which turned into a long lesson on wine and good conversation.  My wife and I decided then to return this year for Easter if we could.

 

Entrance to the Quinta:

 

 

Flowers everywhere:

 

 

The Priests visit, fireplace is huge.  This was at 1030, Monday.  They split up the visits to two days as there are so many houses.  We saw the procession a few kilometers down the road at 2030 in evening!  I have no idea how he and entourage kept going, snacking at each house to be proper.

 

Crossing the Lima, The General is calling out to his soldiers on the other side, by name.  They thought that this was the river that caused you to lose all memory, and had refused to cross.  

 

 

His legion on the south banks:

 

On the north side of the bridge, there was a statue for welcoming Pilgrims walking the camino.  I was going to take a picture of my bike leaning against it for my kids (two who have been to Ponte De Lima with me previously), to show them dad was finally doing the Camino.  Instead, I'm waiting for an MRI, wearing knee braces, and a dog is napping where my bike should be.

 

 

 The Bom Jesus gardens. 

 

And the view from our current resting spot along the Douro, Quinta De Agra.

 

 

Great time, great weather (lots of rain last year), and super people.  And my theory is holding true:  drop a pin for where you are staying on GPS, pick a direction and go.  We find some of the neatest stuff that way. 

 

 

[Canal archive]

Ural guy I hope your knees get sorted, I now have two complete new knees the relief of no pain has to be NOT felt to be believed. I know it doesn’t work for everyone but thank the gods it did for me or I’d be in a wheelchair now.

Edited April 12, 2023 by Canal archive

[jpalbny]

Hi @ural guy! Glad you're enjoying Portugal even though your trip is different from what you expected. That area looks like another place to add to the list of places to visit on our next trip there.

 

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.