We didn't expect to stay a long time in Holland, which is a small country. We found its people, cities and countryside so delightful and interesting that we spent all five months there, returning at the end of August. We left the boat in a marina off the river Maas, in the south of Holland, about the middle, in a village called Kerkdriel.

In 2004 we returned to Fiesta, visited some more great places in Holland , travelled south through Belgium, across southern Belgium, down the river Meuse into France, through the Champagne region and down the river Marne into Paris, where we spent more than four weeks. We left the boat for the winter down the Seine from Paris at Port de L'Ilon.

On May 2nd 2005 we were back in France, first visiting Monet's garden near Vernon, then up to Paris for three weeks. After tearing ourselves away from Paris we headed south, leaving the Seine at St. Mammes to follow the contiguous Canal de Loing and the Canal Lateral a la Loire. Along the way, in Nevers, we rented a car for five days to explore the Chateaux, gardens and villages of the Loire valley. At the Junction with the Canal du Centre we diverted to Roanne and then continued to the river Saone. Here we stayed for a week in Chalon-sur-Saone and then we went north to Dijon, the largest city we had been in since Paris. From Dijon we retraced our steps (actually 22 locks in 30km) to Saint Jean de Losne where we put the boat to bed for the winter.

For the 2006 season we left Seattle on May 2 on British Airways to fly to Lyon via London. We went down the Saone and the Rhone rivers almost to the Mediterranean and then on to Beaucaire via the Petit Rhone. Patricia attended an art workshop in Provence from June 2 thru June 13. Husbands were not allowed at the workshop so one of the other husbands, Mark, and I took the boat to Beaucaire. Patricia and I rented a car for two weeks to explore around Provence. We decided to stay in Beaucaire and do the Midi in the spring of 2007 when the weather is cooler and the canal less crowded with hire boats.

The 2007 season will be our last one on Fiesta if all goes according to plan. We will travel the Canal du Midi starting in early April to Toulouse and then return along the Midi to Villeneuve-les-Beziers where we will leave her for sale by a broker. Our schedule is posted on the HOME page.

UPDATE: We arrived in Carcassonne on May 7 and plan to stay here a week, renting a car to explore the area.