Well today started with a bit of shopping to top up the larder and a little lunch to follow. After that we headed down into town to catch a brocante sale and then walk along the Canal St. Martin. I've made this walk a couple times previously once by myself and once with my niece Elizabeth, both times were very enjoyable so I looked forward to yet another walk, this time with Deb.
As things will go sometimes we were never able to find the brocante even though it was placed on the website so I don't know what was going on with that. But on our way to the canal we also came across another smaller vide-grenier, which is the French equivalent to a local multiple garage sale. So even though we didn't get a lot to look at it was still fun to see what people are trying to sell. We spent a few minutes looking and then walked down to the canal, which was several blocks away.
We arrived at the spot where the canal goes underground for quite a long distance until it reaches the basin at the Arsenal just below the Place de la Bastille. And as luck would have it there was a boat making it's way through the last locks before the tunnel. We watched that process and then started walking back to our apartment along the canal. So many people out and enjoying their Saturday visiting and drinking wine and beer.
I mentioned to Deb that I would like to see one of the swinging bridges work as I've not seen that before. I've seen the raising bridges but not the swinging bridges, so about that time I looked upstream and by golly there was a boat making its way into the basin containing the swinging bridge, so I got back to the bridge area and waited to see it in action. It's very interesting to see the gates come down to block the street traffic and then see the bridge slightly raise and swing out of the way for the boat to pass.
As we got up to the next set of locks yet another boat was coming through so we sat down and watched them come through as well. We took our 5:00 rest for a beer and a cider at a little restaurant next to the canal and then headed back along the canal to the apartment. A nice leisurely day next to the water.
As things will go sometimes we were never able to find the brocante even though it was placed on the website so I don't know what was going on with that. But on our way to the canal we also came across another smaller vide-grenier, which is the French equivalent to a local multiple garage sale. So even though we didn't get a lot to look at it was still fun to see what people are trying to sell. We spent a few minutes looking and then walked down to the canal, which was several blocks away. 
We arrived at the spot where the canal goes underground for quite a long distance until it reaches the basin at the Arsenal just below the Place de la Bastille. And as luck would have it there was a boat making it's way through the last locks before the tunnel. We watched that process and then started walking back to our apartment along the canal. So many people out and enjoying their Saturday visiting and drinking wine and beer. 
I mentioned to Deb that I would like to see one of the swinging bridges work as I've not seen that before. I've seen the raising bridges but not the swinging bridges, so about that time I looked upstream and by golly there was a boat making its way into the basin containing the swinging bridge, so I got back to the bridge area and waited to see it in action. It's very interesting to see the gates come down to block the street traffic and then see the bridge slightly raise and swing out of the way for the boat to pass.
As we got up to the next set of locks yet another boat was coming through so we sat down and watched them come through as well. We took our 5:00 rest for a beer and a cider at a little restaurant next to the canal and then headed back along the canal to the apartment. A nice leisurely day next to the water.
Swinging bridge and locks? Score!
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