Corsica

During our trip to Corsica we stayed in Ajaccio, the capital. We arrived in the middle of Friday afternoon peak hour and our first impression was of the difficulties of driving and parking. This view was reinforced each time we used the car but then we had chosen to stay in a city! Apart from that, our week on the Island was most enjoyable, scenically beautiful and interesting historically. Our apartment was well placed above the Old Town (with a secure car park) and we enjoyed strolling down to the town; along the very busy waterfront with ferries, cruise boats and pleasure craft coming and going; checking out the beaches; exploring the Old Town; dining at excellent and affordable restaurants and shopping at the markets for our fresh supplies.

View from our Apartment balconyWe found Corsican honey, cheese, ham and wine as well as local fruits, vegetables and fish. We also had the chance to sample a Corsican liquer made from local berries. Ajaccio is definitively a Mediterranean city, geographically located almost in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. The weather was brilliant so we could eat all our meals on our apartment's balcony, enjoying the views of sea and mountain. Our explorations of the Island beyond the city of Ajaccio first took us to the headland west of the town where we walked the Coastal Track, giving us fantastic views of the Gulf of Ajaccio.Bush regenerationThe path was very steep in parts but nevertheless there were several people on mountain bikes as well as some very fit looking runners. The view from our apartment was dominated by the very steep mountains which seem to rise straight out of the sea. A single chain of mountains makes up two thirds of the Island of Corsica and separates the East from the West. There are at least 45 separate peaks higher than 2,000 metres. The highest is over 2,700 metres- but it is only 20 kilometres from the sea! By comparison, Mount Kosciuszko is 2,228 metres. We ventured out by car to explore the Coast to the north of Ajaccio, following the winding , mountainous, two lane narrow road to various coastal towns including Cargèse, settled in the 17th Century by Greek refugees. Two beautiful churches face each other across a gully, one a (Latin rite) Catholic Church, the other Greek Orthodox.View from the Churches

The separate populations have assimilated over the intervening four hundred years, and the same pastor serves both congregations. Just North of Cargèse is Piana, an old and well preserved town. Just north are the Rock formations near Piana"Calanques", a rock formation which is World Heritage listed.

Along the entire coastline there are magnificent views of the picturesque gulfs of the Mediterranean, amazing rock formations and mountains covered by snow even in the middle of May. The next day we planned to visit Corté, in the Centre of the Island so after our rather tense trip by car we decided to catch the train which takes about two hours to climb the 80 kilometres. The views on the trip were spectacular, travelling through the mountains to reach the historic town of Corté, a fortified town in the geographic centre of the Island.From the train on the way to Corté

During the brief period of Corsican independence in the 18th Century, Corté was the Capital of Corsica and always the centre of its fight for independence. It is now a University town. We enjoyed the excellent Museum of Anthropology which gave a well- depicted account of rural life in Corsica over several centuries.Corté's fortified Citadel

The next day we ventured out again in the car towards the South of the Island to visit Filitosa where a settlement dating back to the Neolithic age was discovered in 1946. Artefacts at the site include menhirs (tall upright stones) and basic tools from Neolithic times and from the Bronze Age carved and decorated menhirs and evidence of huts, places of worship, tools and decorations.Mehirs at Filitosa

We could not leave Ajaccio without some reference to its most famous son, Napoleon Bonaparte. We visited the house of his birth which from 1682, Bonaparte's ancestors had lived in this house. He was born there in 1769.Inside Napolean Bonaparte's house

Napoleon was sent away to study from the time he was nine years old but his family continued to own and live in it for most of the subsequent years, except for a brief period at the end of the 18th century when it was occupied by the English. Subsequently returned to the family it was restored first by Napoleon's mother and later by his nephew, Emperor Napoleon 111. It was donated to the French state by Prince Victor Napoleon in 1923. Because of this long family occupation it was possible to explore an ancient house still containing original furniture, tools and artefacts and to become a little more informed about Napoleon's background.

Some of the old tools used thereOur flight from Corsica to Paris afforded another stunning view of the Mediterranean and the snow- covered mountains of the French Alps. The peak of the highest mountain, probably Mont Blanc, was visible above the clouds.

Best Regards,

Penelope and Dave

The Ajaccio waterfront

We have been in France for a week now and are about to leave the French island of Corsica for the Rhone Alps.

The flight from Sydney to Paris via Singapore was trouble-free. However we had a very busy day upon arrival. We caught the train from the airport to Gare du Nord then transferred to another which took us to Gare de Lyon. Then a brisk 800metre walk to Gare de Bercy. On the way we stopped at a Tabac and purchased tax stamps which were needed for later. The 150km train trip from Bercy to Auxerre was straightforward; we checked into a hotel and then walked across the river to the préfecture where we picked up our new titres de séjour (long term visas) and handed over the tax stamps as payment. Then we hopped onto another train to deposit various items on the barge and pick up some extra clothing. After that, we trained back to the hotel for a low key dinner and some much needed sleep. We had just flown half way around the world, caught five trains and walked 14,500 steps!

The next day, we were on the train again plus a bus to Orly Airport, from where we flew to Ajaccio on the French island of Corsica. We picked up a rental car at the airport and ended up in a pleasant apartment in a very convenient part of the town. We look over the Mediterranean and are only five minutes from shops and restaurants plus a number of historically interesting sites.  In the next blog, we will detail some of the things we have seen and done in Corsica.

Best regards,

David and Penelope

Hello everyone,
This will likely be our last Blog of the cruising year.

Second last sunset on the Yonne
We have been busy cleaning and tidying Anja for her winter sojourn in Laroche-Migennes, France.
Tomorrow morning, we will be off to the Channel Islands for a week before coming back to Paris and departing for Australia.
It is very peaceful on the Yonne River at the moment. Nothing like the raging and unseasonal floods of June. These resulted in the worst annual French grain harvest for 40 years and repairs are continuing on damaged infrastructure. Most of the sunken boats have now been recovered.
We had pleasant stays at Pont-sur-Yonne, Sens, Villeneuve, Joigny and Laroche St Cydroin. The weather has been very agreeable. They were harvesting the grapes at Cotes St Jacques in Joigny. This winery is over 400 years old and the grapes are hand-picked. We had some of the wine (a somewhat earlier vintage) for David's birthday.

Joigny with the calm river and vines on the hill
Our trip down from Dunkirk was relaxed, although there was a very large amount of commercial barge traffic as the harvest was in full swing (Northern crops were much less affected than elsewhere) and the usual Parisien thirst for sand, gravel and concrete continues unabated. Despite the heavy commercial barges, we have hardly had to wait for any lock the whole distance. A lot of the annual 40 million tonnes of grain comes from the North and the silos hold huge quantities. At one of them, there were four barges loading grain (total 10,000 tonnes) but they looked tiny next to the silo. At another location, there were four smaller barges (total 1,500 tonnes) unloading grain to a cereal factory. Farmers have been rolling up to the silos (which operate long hours) in their tractors pulling trailers laden with grain.
There was an interesting sight on the Seine. What looked like a full-immersion baptism in the river with a large crowd looking on and applauding from the land.

The washing machine has been going strongly and this is much easier than having to find a laundromat. There is a Frenchman on a boat behind us- he is also packing up and just left dragging a trolley of laundry to the laundromat which is about 2Km away.
This year, we stopped at fewer places with electricity than ever before. Thus we were fully self-sufficient nearly the whole time. This also meant that we used the generator-welder more than in any previous year. Pleasing to say, an inspection has revealed that the earlier modifications have been totally successful and the operating temperatures have been way below previously with absolutely no sign of any issues.

We will welcome you to our final episode of Anja's Blog in 2017 which will be our final year of owning Anja and cruising on her.

Best Regards,
Dave and Penny

We have been making good progress in a Southerly direction.
Guillotine gate on a Canal du Nord lockThe main Nave- Noyon Cathedral
The Canal du Nord went smoothly and we took the opportunity of visiting the town of Noyon. We had seen it several times, particularly the striking double towers of the Cathedral where Charlemagne was crowned King, but never visited. It was a very interesting town which experienced a difficult time in the wars, like many towns. The Cathedral was very old, with vestiges dating back almost 1,500 years. There was a stone listing every Bishop from 557AD until the present day, including five saints and one Pope. John Calvin was born in this town, his placed of birth now a museum.
Cathedral towersNoyon town square and town hall
We also visited the barging museum at the town of Longeuil Annel which used to be a major barging town. The museum was very interesting with lots of historical film footage and photographs. Penny quizzed the custodian and discovered more information about the new Canal of the North, Europe. This will run from near Cambrai in the North to near Longeuil-Annel in the South and will more than double France's annual tonnage of water-carried freight. There will be far fewer locks and much greater dimensions allowed compared with the saturated Canal du Nord.
Sailing on the Seine- a risky sport!Eye catching new Arts Centre- Isle Seguin on the Seine
We are now just South of Paris, on the River Seine, a few kilometres South of its junction with the River Marne. We are doing some reprovisioning here.

The trip through Paris itself was smooth. We always have some heightened anxiety as there is a lot of traffic- particularly the sightseeing Bateau Mouches and large transport barges. Unlike a couple of months ago (when the river was in flood), this time we had the current against us, though it is not very great. It was a good trip and being a Saturday there were large numbers of canoes, kayaks and rowing sculls as well as quite a few yachts. However, sailing on the Seine in Paris looks rather dangerous which is perhaps why participants were wearing crash helmets as well as life jackets.
A rare black swan (native of only Australia) on the OiseWhen we left Pontoise sur Oise on Thursday, a body had just been discovered at the lock and there were Sapeur-Pompiers (fire, rescue and first response) plus Police and Medico-Legal people there. The lock-keeper was very professional but did sound a little shaken. There was a lot of construction work at the lock and we thought that maybe a worker had died. However, it turned out to be a depressed man who apparently drowned himself. Very sad, particularly for those directly involved.

On a more positive note (with regard to falling in the water), when we were at Lille one day, three motorcycle policemen came racing down the tow path on the other side and came to the canal behind us and another boat. One of them jumped into the water. There was a man in the water and they rescued him. The Sapeur-Pompiers were also there to give medical attention and take him to hospital. The boat behind had thrown him a life-ring. So, all was well. However we did not find out how he fell or jumped in. Perhaps he was one of the hundreds of people we saw there who were besotted with Pokomon-Go which had just been released in France? Huge numbers of people were wandering around glued to mobile phones and not looking where they were going, totally immersed.

The only other incident to report is that of "The Battery".

One morning, the starter battery died. Not unexpected as it has lasted about nine years and had not been starting the engine quite as enthusiastically for a couple of weeks. Not a problem, we just flicked a switch to the main battery bank.

We ordered a new one from a place we have used before. Although there is no rush, we thought it would be simple to get a new one while we are moving along without too much else to do. These batteries are rather expensive but do last a long time. Anyway, things have not worked out and it has all been a big waste of time and potentially money. The battery is now seven days overdue:

Day 1. The courier company reported "could not deliver, please select a new address". So, we contacted the tourist office and they happily agreed to accept the battery.
Day 2. The courier ran out of time- too many parcels- and took it back to the depot.
Day 3. No delivery. No status on the web site. Then at 8pm..."Delivered".
Day 4. Battery NOT at tourist office? Where is it? It is at the original delivery address. Went there, sign on door: "Sorry, due to health we are closed down and not taking or sending parcels".

After some hours, found the owner. No parcel could have been delivered because the door had always been locked.
Day 5. Where is the parcel? The parcel has been delivered to the tourist office. But it is/was not there.

By the weekend, there were still no updates and nothing possible now until Monday.

This is very frustrating and the battery company (which has been good) will not do anything until the courier company comes up with another or more credible story.

Perhaps it has been stolen or mislaid?

Best Regards,
Dave and Penny

We visited the 19th annual Contemporary Sculpture Exhibition at Andresy

Noyon Library and Bookstore- 1506

Odd liveaboard boat on the Seine

Noyon Cathedral