Hoop Doet Leven is sold … and off for new adventures with her new owners
One does not truly “own” a 95-year-old boat. At best you simply take your turn with the boat, following in …
One does not truly “own” a 95-year-old boat. At best you simply take your turn with the boat, following in …
Here we are passing a lighthouse and a fully-rigged schooner on the Canal du Centre in Burgundy. Not quite. We’re …
Sure. Right. Everybody’s so depressed because the world is coming to an end. Iran. North Korea. Stormy. Blah. Blah. Blah. …
Yawn. Stretch. Breathe deeply. We’re easing out of winter hibernation and updating our six years’ lists of Things To Do …
We’re approaching the midpoint of this, our sixth summer on Hoop Doet Leven in France (and the Netherlands. And Belgium. …
We’re at one week and counting down to our return to France. (Our actual return to France will be brief …
WOW. In all capital letters. WOW, I’m back in the Netherlands, back after three weeks home in Massachusetts. Back at …
The aft cabin on HOOP DOET LEVEN is where the Dutch family – mother, father and two daughters – who …
The rain stopped. The sun shone. And we travelled as slowly as we could – which, on a barge is …
We are so fortunate this year. What with the weeks of torrential rains we’ve saved an absolute fortune on sunscreen. …
The world is topsy turvy. Migrants fleeing war, famine and poverty are pushing Europe to reexamine its generosity. And morality. …
Oh boy. Its that time of year again when thoughts turn to things French. Warm baguettes. Stinky cheese. Placid canals. …
The book, On a Barge in France, is finally completed and available on Amazon. It incorporates much from the blog …
Aaaah OOOOOOOO. Aaaah OOOOOOOO. The horn moaned out of the fog enveloping the boat. Fog so dense the boat’s bow …
Back in my newspaper reporter days one of the fundamental axioms of journalism was that things – fires, school bus …
An entire winter is a long time to hold your breath. Especially this past arctic winter in New England. Walking …
This has been the summer of being flexible, of rolling with the punches. And of things, as they seem to …
With some trepidation I surreptitiously checked out the guy standing on my right in the cable car taking us up …
The two men stood outside Hoop Doet Leven’s wheelhouse. The older man had a full, gray beard and a grin. …
They say the mind retains no specific memory of pain, specific in the sense that on your deathbed you will …
We flew back to the United States on September 11. We know, not a propitious day for flying but, on …
A year-and-a-half cruising the French canals and rivers, south, east and north of Paris. The cities, the history, the food, …
Yes, we’re still in France. No, there haven’t been many blog postings from this summer’s cruising. Sorry about that. As …
What’s different about this summer, our second summer on the barge in France? Well, last summer was all about living …
Hoop Doet Leven is all painted and pretty. The engine started instantly after its winter hibernation. We broadcast our departure …