contentedsouls

Join us on our travels around Europe aboard our Dutch Tjalk Francoise

  • Jill Budd

    After 6 years aboard our Narrowboat Matilda Rose in the UK, we took the plunge and shipped her across to Europe. After 2 years in Europe we knew we didn't want to return to the UK so took the plunge and purchased a 1902 20 mtr Dutch Tjalk called Francoise and are now continuing our travels of the waterways of Europe in a buxom wench

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Starting Week 2 (Jill) Fintele

Posted by contentedsouls on 24/04/2014

As per my last blog you can see that the mooring pontoon at Fintele, and the steep steps up from it, are the thin open mesh squares which are loathed by dogs and cats alike. So using two mooring planks we rigged up our own boarding system which avoided using the steps altogether – the use of which is demonstrated here by Daisy

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“Now watch carefully Muttley, ’cause we’ve got to do that next”. “I can’t do that”. “Yes you can”.

And they did bless themImage

The Lockie turned up in the evening to inform us that we had to move on in the morning as they had received notification that, with immediate effect, there was a new 24 hour mooring rule – this was as much a surprise to the Lockie as the two local harboumasters  moored behind us. So, ready to leave yesterday morning, the Lockie had his first excuse for non-movers ..no, not the old broken down excuse, but ‘my cat hasn’t come home’. Daisy frightened me to death by not coming to my call or home for breakfast. Two hours later she joined me when I was out with the dogs – she was soaking wet and covered in mud but looking very pleased with herself.

So we cruised from Fintele (first three photos) to just outside Ieper (Ypres) after hanging a right onto the IJer/Ieper Canal. I love these little picnic sites/info areas. Is this a fancy pigeon house do you reckon?  It was just perched on the top of a house in a nearby village which I can neither remember the name of nor spell.

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This house had it’s own cable ferry. Right turn Clyde!

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Wild mooring here, so far, involves a bit of a bank. so a quick bit of gardening with the scythe, a rope pinned to the top by a long mooring pin, the small stool and the job’s a good ‘un.

I should also have mentioned that we still managed our traditional Sunday roast on MR and a BBQ on Avalon – Brits abroad hey? It’ll be knotted hankies all round next. Ah – that might have already happened!

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Cheers guys!

6 Responses to “Starting Week 2 (Jill) Fintele”

  1. Kevin TOO said

    Well there’s something I didn’t expect to see… mountaineering in Belgium!! LOL
    Them banks look VERY steep, good job they’re drier than UK towpaths of late 🙂

    Did you let Daisy read the last blog about the great fresh milk shortage??

    Like

    • It’s not as bad as it looks – as long as the grass is dry! Daisy is actually drinking the full fat long-life stuff; it’s almost as if she knows there’s no alternative

      Like

  2. Alistair said

    Dear Daisy

    Just because they made you walk the plank doesn’t mean they don’t want you to come back at bed time! They promise to find you some decent milk soon, too.

    Like

  3. Margaret Budd said

    I could eat a great roast like that right now ,it is 1 pm now cheers I have to settle for a bagel bacon and Brie ,easy and tasty. xxx

    Like

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