GLASS-BLOWING IN THE ZORN VALLEY

I've always been fascinated by glass. The way it can be manipulated, melted, fused, blown etc. I think it comes from my Chemistry Lab days when we needed particular tubes or flasks for our apparatus and we had a chance to do a bit of experimenting with glassblowing. We are now in the Zorn valley, west of Strasbourg, an area where there is a history of cristalleries and we can see the glassblowers making beautiful glass pieces. We watched the whole process. Fascinating!

It started with a molten blob of glass.

Intermediate phase, having been dipped in a red powder.

Final shape, still too hot to handle.

The result was beautiful. This piece was hollow and had to be cooled slowly overnight. Once cooled it was made into a lamp which showed off the fantastic colours and shapes. 

MORE CHEESE V.....

I realised we haven't had a new cheese recently for those cheese addicts out there. Recently we came across this 'Plaisir au Chablis'. A delightful little cheese washed/finished with Chablis wine. Well as they say 'What could possibly go wrong.'

Plaisir au Chablis.

No we did not try Le Gaperon D'Auvergne. Perhaps next week. We did try the Laguiole, rather delicious quite like cheddar.

Lard Gras is a food substance we've never got into. The idea of buying, at quite a high price, higher than the ham, a block of 'fat/lard'. I'm sure in some recipes it works, just seems against the ideals of a lower fat diet. It doesn't even look very inviting.

Lard Gras - Toscan.

What we can sign onto is some of the wines, being given a visual lift by fun graphics. I hear you moan. Get some cheap wine, put it in trendy bottles and the fools will buy it. This used to be the case, not now. More and more quality wines are going for interesting graphics. Good. I like traditional labels but let's keep them for traditional wines. Let modern wines be more exciting. After all it's only a bottle of wine.

A trio of modern wines in a recent shop.

A MEAL OUT IN THE GOLDEN CITY

When in R....... well in this case Metz, we have previously said what a good city Metz is. It is. The usual Saturday rounds of market, coffee and finding a restaurant for the evening. It's always a bit of pot luck in a unknown city finding a good restaurant. Often the result is 'fine' but not good. Recently in Metz we scored. We looked around after the market and found what looked good and booked for the evening. After a stop at Opera wine bar for an apéritif we moved onto Le Pampre. The ambiance and food were amazing. The best meal we have had in ages both in quality and taste.

A chocolate desert with 6 different chocolate recipes.

Nice loos too. Pink for girls, blue for b.....

Girls loo. That's the sink not the loo. Great interiors.

Metz is called the Golden City after the colour of the local stone. Coming out of Le Pampre restaurant you are immediately presented with the Cathédrale floodlit. Whilst the cathedral is impressive in daylight it really 'shines' at night. It certainly earns its name as The Golden City.

Cathédrale Saint Étienne de Metz.

OBERBILLIG PUZZLE AND A CHANGE TO NAVIGATION.

Recently in Oberbillig, that's in Germany, we could not help noticing that many, not all, of the main entrance doors to the houses had these stickers attached. The stickers varied in both the numbers of stickers and content which were all of a similar vein.

Meaning? Could be no publicity? Answers on a postcard please.

We had planned to leave Luxembourg/Germany and head up the Sarre back towards France and Strasbourg. Coming out of a lock we passed Australian friends going into the lock.

'Where are you heading.'

'Up the Sarre back towards Strasbourg.'

'They're closing the Saarbrucken lock in a couple of days until March!'

'What!!!'

'Chomages, Technical problems? I'll email you.'

They did and we checked, so it's about turn and head back the way we came. No problem, it's a good route. We also need to put on some kilometres as the canal to Strasbourg will also be closing on 06 November. No more dallying around and chatting to friends!

FRIENDS IN LUXEMBOURG

We were very lucky with the weather when Brian and Orla joined us in Luxembourg.  A week later and it would have been pouring down with rain and high winds. We spent a day exploring Luxembourg city and doing a bit of shopping. The bridge we walked across into the old city was not just an ordinary bridge, but a double bridge with an amazing walkway underneath for pedestrians and cyclists. It had great views of the ravine and the city walls.

Bridge with suspended walkway underneath.

Views of the city walls from under the bridge.

We then spent a few days navigating on Soraya along the Moselle River between Luxembourg and Germany. The border runs down the centre of the river. The scenery was beautiful, with banks of vineyards on both sides.

The banks of the Moselle River.

Of course we had to have a few glasses of Moselle wine once we had finished navigating for the day.

Orla, Brian and I relaxing after lunch.

Geoff and Brian taking in the sunshine.

RETAIL THERAPY - LUXEMBOURG STYLE

If you want to splash the cash Luxembourg is a good place to do it. With all that disposable income around from the financial institutions all the big players are in town trying to get their Euro's worth. It's interesting that 44% of the population are not of Luxembourg origin. All the top international designer brands are present. We did have a bit of a giggle at the Chanel window display. A dress covered with prints of astronauts for €xxxx. It looked terrible, a case of trying too hard.

Is that a hint Margaret is giving?

After all that shopping we had to refuel.

Une petite coupe de champagne? Mais oui.

Well it was cheaper than the handbag. Or was it just the down payment? Did I mention the men's clothing?

Gold jacket anyone. It was literally priceless.

LUXEMBOURG

We've had a lovely time in Luxembourg City as well as the country. It's all very 'neat and tidy, tidy and nice.' The old city is well worth a visit and is not on many British tourist agendas. It's location on a plateau surrounded by a ravine made by the river Alzette, historically made it very defensible and now very attractive. It is great to see many tiny vegetable gardens on the ravine sides and bottom beautifully maintained in the centre of this large metropolitan city.

Looking down from the old city.

Luxembourg is a Grand Duchy presided over by the Grand Duke Henri and Duchess Maria who live right in the centre of town in the palace adjacent to the main commercial and shopping area.

Changing of the guard.

As we all know a lot of companies and some of the EU is based in Luxembourg. Is there any money around? Yes just a bit.

Perhaps this road name illustrated the point.

The whole city is beautifully maintained yet the cost of living for eating, drinking and everyday expenses seems reasonable. For example a €4 transport ticket gives you access to the trains and buses anywhere in Luxembourg country for the day. Fuel is 20% cheaper than other European countries and tobacco and coffee must be very cheap judging by the number of specialist shops just selling those two products in pack sizes that would put a wholesaler to shame.

We wandered through the law court area, the Cité Judiciaire and took a particular shine to these glass urns. Yes they are huge.

Decoration of one of the courts.

Almost fun fare reflections.

Margaret and I, stretched.

FERRY TO GERMANY AND A FEW BOTTLES OF MOSELLE

We had a bit of a busman's holiday by going on a boat. It was a very short ride, a hundred metres or so across La Moselle from Wasserbillig in Luxembourg to Oberbillig in Germany. The ferry was very old school. Health and safety, eat your heart out! To be fair they are expecting a new 'electric' ferry any day. The ferry buzzed back and forth, a trip across including loading and unloading took about 5 minutes and cost €0.73.

Loading up with Soraya in the background.

They seem prepared to accept any passengers. I don't think they get many British customers. There are three languages in Luxembourg French, German and Luxembourgish, this part of Luxembourg is ~100% German speaking. Whilst in Schengen and Luxembourg City it was predominantly French. The other big language is English especially with the financial institutions.

Orla, Margaret and Brian taking in the views.

Whilst in Germany we took in a wine cave. We saw a large door with a bell. Press and wait. The door opened, the proprietor appeared and welcomed us into the bottling plant, then into the wine store and tasting room. A few degustations later, not sure what it is called in German, and we staggered out with a mixed case then on the ferry back to Luxembourg.

Margaret having an intense conversation about the nuances of the wine, in German.

Not one of Margaret's core skills, however, I'm sure she understood some parts of it? Tell me again what is the difference between Trockene, Halbtrockene, Rotweine and Sekt?

SCHENGEN

We feel now that we are right in the centre of Europe, having just arrived and moored up in Schengen in Luxembourg. It's a very small modest town but was made famous by the Schengen Agreement on 14 June 1985. The Agreement was signed here because it is on the border of the Benelux countries (Belgium,The Netherlands and Luxembourg), France and Germany.

Geoff on the quayside

The signing took place exactly where we are moored, on a boat!

The Agreement being signed

The boat was a cruise ship 'MS Ptincesse Marie-Astrid' which still cruises on the river and moors here where we are.

The Princesse Marie-Astrid

In Schengen there was the Museé Europeén which was fascinating. It had a history of the coming together of Europe from the late 1940's when some of the leaders in Europe called for a union like a United States of Europe to ensure there were no more wars and bring us all together. One of those founder members was Winston Churchill representing the UK. How times have changed! 

LE HAUT-FOURNEAU U4 ET LE JARDIN DES TRACES

We have been crusing down La Moselle towards Luxembourg and had to stop at Le Haut-Fourneau U4, a preserved blast furnace. Fascinating. The Moselle used to be famous for iron and steel production and steel working, machining etc. This has almost all gone. However, it was decided to preserve one blast furnace at Uckange, furnace number U4.

Margaret studying the production process.

Uckange was ideally placed with iron ore close by. Coal could be brought in by barge with other necessary materials by barge or railway. The site is huge and that's what's left now. The iron produced would leave by barge or railway to other steel processors along the Moselle.

Now that's what I call a dust separator.

Along with the walk around and through the blast furnace there was a museum that attempts to explain the conversion process from the various ores to iron with lots of diagrams and photographs of the furnace in full production. We were amused by this particular exhibit. They were displaying samples of all the raw ingredients and ores that went into the furnace. One bell jar seemed particularly empty, it is however a very necessary ingredient.

Hot air anyone?

A large area of the site has been turned into Le Jardin des Traces. A large themed garden constructed on the industrially polluted storage and mashelling yards. The themes are based loosely around the blast furnace process and elements. Very pretty but I did not feel it added to the industrial monument of former times.

MY OTHER OFFICE!

We arrived at Metz, a great mooring close to the town centre. Prior to going into town for a few provisions and a beer in the square we called at the Capitanerie to pay our fees. The notice said it was open, however it was locked. We wandered into Metz and got back over an hour later. As we approached Soraya we could see Le Capitaine knocking on our door and looking through our windows. Upon meeting the captain who recognised us we explained we had tried to find him earlier. He replied that he had been in 'my other office'.

View across our mooring upon our return.

He said no problem come and see him tomorrow. What time? Pah!! who knows. I went off the next day, late afternoon as that's the only time he's around and eventually after questioning various people as to his whereabouts, I located him in his 'other office'. Actually he was in the bar above the rowing club. It's a tough life being a captain with at the most 1 or 2 boats a day arriving or leaving. We didn't leave the bar, we just sat at a table in there. I got the impression that he liked to be seen chatting to a female, as he gave me a good rate even though I'd interrupted his drinking!!

LIVERDUN

We are currently in that well known place on La Moselle called Liverdun. Its notoriety is from its geographical location on top of a steep hill around which the river tightly goes.The town is medieval and has kept the original intricate layout. Yes it is quite pretty but unfortunately dead. Perhaps we went on a bad day.

Soraya tucked in nicely on a dolphin. Not another boat in sight.

There is not much in the town, we could not even find a coffee shop! There was however a Madeleine shop. We always thought Madeleines belonged to Commercy. Well that is where they were invented. It seems Liverdun is trying to get in on the act. Not sure if the old lady on the packet eating a Madeleine is a real selling point. If I eat Madeleines will I look like that? Hopefully not. Yes they are 'Veritable'.

Madeleines de Liverdun.

I think someone may have too much time on their hands. Perhaps Madeleine sales in Liverdun are slow? Knitting Madeleines with a jar of knitted jam. What next? Well I can inform you it was a knitted box of eggs with one broken in half revealing the yoke. Moving on!!

I think I prefer Urban Gorilla Knitting.

Walking along Margaret happened upon......

3 old codgers out for a walk.

A GOOD NIGHT OUT

Saturday. Go to the marché yes, buy food yes, cook no! Saturday night is a night out. Sunday cook! In France apart from the larger cities virtually no restaurants are open on Sunday.

A quick bottle of Jurançon before the meal at La Primatiale.

In L'Echanson wine bar I thought we should experiment. Could be good, could be bad. Let's have a bottle of Camin Larredya I said. What's that? said Margaret. I don't really know but..... Wine ordered and arrived. Verdict. Great, very minerally, totally unexpected and we will definitely look for it again. It is a Jurançon white wine with its own AOC near Pau in southern France near the Spanish border.

Appellation Jurançon.

We did see this bottle and were amused by the label. Is there a female equivalent?

Vini Viti Vinci.

NANCY

We've been in Nancy for a few days. It's been very busy socially. Going back to a port we have overwintered with many people resident there that we know, all good fun, but not much time for blogging. Sorry. Good news a bit of food porn! Nancy does have a very good, one of the best, Marché Couvert and Saturday morning is the time. What shall we try??

Squid anyone?

This is the first time I have seen Ormeaux (Abalone) for sale. Personally I think they look a bit hardcore and rubbery?? To be fair I haven't tried them and at ~€50 a kilo we decided Fillet steak is more attractive and cheaper.

Ormeaux.

Other parts of the Marché encompass all the food groups. We were taken by this preserved fruit stall selling everything sugared. Sweet tooth?

Crystallised fruit.

With all that food it's time for a night out.

BOLLARDS

Bollards might not be of interest to most people but on the canals it's vital in every lock and most moorings. They come in many shapes, sizes and colours. Recently on Le Canal de la Marne au Rhin Est we came across a huge variety. In some cases the stone lock side is worn away by a couple of hundred years of holding back péniches with the mooring ropes.

Traditional bollard with many years of wear.

Further along the canal in a deeper lock we came across these more modern 'anchorage points', you can't really call them bollards. You move the rope from one to the next as you go up or down. Quite functional but no aesthetics.

An unusual built in 'bollard' or more accurately anchorage point.

In the very large locks such as Rèchicourt 2, with a 15.4 metre drop we had floating bollards that just move up and down alongside the boat. They may not look very much in the photograph but they are a 2-3 metre deep drum to ensure they float regardless of the strain put on them. They're very easy to use as they're always at the right height.

Floating bollards, the easiest kind.

There are lots of other types of bollards. Perhaps we'll do a future blog post on bollard colours and decoration! Don't hold your breath.