Tuesday 17 December 2013

Winter Update Dec 2013

We took a walk to the other marina. Moulin Blanc. It's right next to Oceanopolis, France's visitor centre for ocean preservation. Out of season there wasn't many people about, it all looked a bit bleak. We are glad that we chose the Chateau Marina. 
Our neighbours, Tarquilla put up Xmas lights. Alison was suffering from LED light envy, so we bought some of our own and arranged them over the boom. Then our other neighbours Erminig got a rope light. Another yacht on the other side of the marina has lit up also. Catching isn't it?



Xmas tree on chart table and assorted tinsel. 
We went to the local Xmas market. Handcrafted trinkets that don't really have a use on a boat, so we didn't buy anything. 
That's me on the bench. Check out the shopping trolley - essential yacht hardware. 
Some poser rolled up in this! To buy a baguette on a Sunday morning. 

What about this Pam. Name up in lights!
Mind you. You do get some funny signs around here. 
Fitting new clutch to autopilot. More parts needed. 
With the sun low in the sky we have moved our boat to the other side of the visitors section to get some sunshine. 

I put a colour on Alison's hair. Do you want to see the before and after photo's. 
Of course you do. 
Before. 
After. 
Success. 

The local hairdresser in Brest costs a fortune. A cut in town wasn't bad. It seems to me that if your buying a service or an item you have to figure in the 2 hour lunch break they have. Cos your paying for it! 
Having eaten out for lunch on four occasions our experience has been - excellent service, nice surroundings and vibe, pretty poor food and sky high prices. 
Plenty of locals seem to be happy as they keep going in!
The best lunch was at a supermarket canteen, I wanted what was on the picture in the window. Couldn't see it inside and no one spoke English. iphone translate apps not much cop without an Internet connection. 
Chose something else and it was very nice. We could have done better if we had known how the system worked. We got a token with our meals. Turned out to be for a coffee machine. Plenty of others were on the wine, but I don't know where they got it from. 
Today we prepared for the next bout of high winds. Last night the dingy kept trying to take off. Have doubly secured it and put an extra rope on the port side of Artemis from the stern to the pontoon. The idea - to stop us from being blown tightly against the finger pontoon on our starboard side. We'll see if it works.