There are a bunch of people who own their own canal boats, either as their home, or as a travelling, weekend getaway. So, much like there are RV people (caravan people, to the Brits), there are boat people.
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| Boat |
As we cruise around, we encountered a lot of these people and their boats. Almost everyone waved as we crossed paths. Those who didn't wave usually looked like the sea captain from The SImpsons and were navigating a sad-looking, rusted-out, houseboat.
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| Another boat |
Some people had luxury accomodations. Many had wood burning stove chimneys peaking through the boat's roof.
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Most people, like the two who helped us learn when and where we were allowed to moor, were pleasant and helpful.
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| And another boat |
But there were some right cranky old bastards. Like the crusty old man, leaning out the window of his rusty barge that looked like it had been moored at the same location for years, who yelled at us for going too fast. We were MAYBE going 4MPH.
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| Lookie here - another boat! |
Of course, there were other people who were renting boats for the day, weekend, or even week. We saw one group of the most depressed looking women, on a boat for a "hen do" (bachelorette party). There were all dressed up, but not talking, just staring ahead, looking like they just wanted off the boat. The running theory amongst our group was that they were all hung over from the night before and just about to feed the ducks.
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| And yet anther! Fascinating! |
Some boats had potted plants and flowers strategically placed along the decks and roof.
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| Boat |
Some just looked abandoned.
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| Sad looking, creepy boat with no windows. Named, almond, of course! (?) |
Every boat we saw, no matter how elegant or dilapidated, was named.
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| Boat |
Sometimes a clever name, sometimes just Thingy.
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| Thingy |
And all were painted differently, so that even if they were all basically, variations on the same theme (low, narrow boat with small prow and aft, they all had character.
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| And the last boat I will subject you to… in this post! |
As did all of the boat people we met along the way. And by the end of the trip, each one of us felt like we could definitely be boat people, too.
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