Wow, this is me, doing a blog like a really modern person!
This posting is mainly for Jared, to show him the canal and the lock system in France. In the old days they used to move lots of cargo around by barges (big flat boats) pulled by horses. They made canals for the boats to go on, and they built locks to help the boats go up and down the hills. I went for a bike ride along the canal, and took photos of a boat going through a lock, to show you how it works. Now the canals are used mostly by people on holiday who own or hire boats, and the paths beside the canals are used for walking and cycling. The locks are really cool, and lots of people watch whenever a boat goes through one, and if you’re really lucky the lock-keeper will let you help (especially boys around 8 years old!) I helped the lock-keeper close this one after I took the pictures.
Sometimes the lock-keeper lives in the house, sometimes they just stay there during the day to let the boats through.
This is where the boat will enter if it comes from up-hill
This is where the boat will sit when it is going up or down.
This is where the boat will come out if it is going down-hill.
This boat is coming from up-hill, and it needs to get down the hill.
and then she runs around to the other side to open the other top gate.
The boat owner has to help her because there aren’t any 8 year old boys around.
So the boat is now in the lock, and is at the level of the water up-hill. They need to let it down to the level of the water down-hill!
So now it’s time to open the bottom gates to let it out.
because there are no eight year olds around to help.
Hope you get to come to France and help with a lock sometime J
xxx
Pauline
Lepod's Blog 
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