14th to 16th August, Paris up the Seine to St. Mammes

After a very much too short 2-night stay in Paris, we had to gently nurse Archangel up the Upper Seine, which has some interesting boats:

not to mention:

We had left at 12:30pm to just reach some sort of mooring for the night, and there are many marked on the Fluviale waterways guide;  sadly none meant for the general public, apart from one or maybe two that you certainly wouldn't want to stay at.  So it was only after 7 hours of continuous motoring that we found a mooring at a disused lockside, which the guide is unusually effusive (and accurate) about, "good mooring".  True there was only just space for one boat just about our size!  The owners of the next boat were very helpful and came out to guide and advise - the space had only just been vacated it seems!  We were lucky, and here it is:

We had meant to stay one night, but our neighbours kindly took us to a local market to PK122.5 St Fargem/Ponthierry, which was great, and they took our pic in the square

Then we all went to the market and bought far too much, but the quality was very good.  Our new friends showed us the best way is to ask each seller "what is your best tomato for salads?" or " which fruit is ready to eat, or best?" etc., they love to show off their special knowledge of their products, and in fact they know what to sell you.

The market: 

Then we suggested having lunch in the local restaurant which they'd spoken highly of, but they were full to bursting despite their obvious distress at disappointing a local and well known client.  It seems it was Ascension Day, hence they were so busy and booked.  So between the two boats the ladies concocted an excellent lunch, which we enjoyed on our stern deck (easily as good as the restaurant terrace!) so when 5 o'clock came, it seemed we weren't going on today!  It's a hard life.  So what next, oh yes, a swim in the Seine.  What, In Seine?  I think so (I didn't go in of course).

Mind you, talking of insane, by now I'd begun to think of the inside lining of these great locks as a form of modernist art, have a look: 

No?  Well, I hope you won't think our sanity too much impaired when you see the next picture then?  Bollinger had begun to think he was a third human, so Nik decided to test him out for table manners: 

Oddly enough, he failed.  Well, the food kept falling off, and he doesn't have opposed thumbs.  Still, worth a try!