Birthday Promotion

Yesterday was Brenda's birthday. To celebrate we had the most gruelling journey through 24 locks that day. Am I a cruel Captain? Well in my defence it wasn't planned that way. Our original schedule had us spending that whole day in Carcassonne - but the boat hire company stuffed up our booking - they managed to arrange our one-way trip the wrong way around and we only found out about that just days before leaving on the trip. That issue has resulted in lots of changes to our plans - some good and some not so good (like we lost a day and ended up doing 24 locks in one day to recover that lost day)!

However, Brenda did a sterling job with all those locks and accordingly she was promoted from "Crew" to "Lock Keeper". Here is a pic of her carrying out her lofty duties......

Look - two hands, one to hold the rope and one to push the green button! What poise! What "je ne sais quoi!"

Actually, joking aside, and before I risk mutiny on the Nourriguier (that's the name of our boat), it was a very tiring day for both of us but we managed to make it from Carcassone all the way to Castelnaudary in one day. Very tired, but happy to have achieved it - we celebrated with a very nice meal at a restaurant alongside the canal - just 50 metres from where we were moored.

Cassoulet and a salad for me, and lots of fried small fish and a salad for Brenda

We have watched other local French people eating these crispy fried fish, usually as a starter. Brenda was keen to try them - despite the waitress advising her that "the English don't usually like them". Brenda ignored her advice (probably because she's not English!) - and she really enjoyed them. My cassoulet is a very traditional French dish - sort of stew made from duck breast with pork sausage and lots of beans. Cassoulet is the signature dish here in the town of Castelnaudary - so I had to try it. I would have liked a little more sauce (or liquid stew) - but the flavours were very good.

Before arriving here, we spent a whole day in Carcassonne. This is the largest town on our canal route, and is famed for its ancient medieval fortress that dominates the high ground south of the town. It really is a fortified castle/city complete with high double stone walls with ramparts and high turrets and towers on the corners, and with large inner squares and a variety of stone accommodations within the walls. Of course it also has a moat surrounding it (now dry) and drawbridges at all the main gates giving access to the castle.  Here is an aerial pic that I lifted off the internet (as I couldn't put up my drone this close to an airport)!

That main outside wall is 3 kms long and there are 52 towers!

One of the entrance gates to the Castle/City

In the morning we toured around the ramparts, with Brenda so entranced at the beauty & history of this special place

The alleyways within the walled city are narrow and thronged with tourists

Carcassonne was our favourite stop on this journey through the vineyards and orchards of southern France. Brenda especially savoured our tour of the castle/city - it evoked some of her childhood imaginations of what real castles would be like.