With our inclination towards anything involving the water…

it's no surprise I have quoted Rat before.

 Much to Ren Mans delight, we spent one week messing about in a boat 

on the Canal du Midi.

Many felt Pierre-Paul Riquet was crazy when his ideas began to emerge back in 1654, 

however, his brilliant work is evident…

as the canal meanders through the beautiful French countryside,

crossing aqueducts with rivers flowing underneath.

Riquets' home town of Beziers provided the perfect weekend market for provisions

 before boarding Winifred in Capestang, France.

After a few minutes of training…

we were on our way…

headed upstream…

rising a few feet…

at each of the fifty nine locks we encountered.

When boats move forward near the front closed gate,

the rear gate closes and water begins to empty into the area as the front gate is slowly opened.

Each lock has a helpful attendant who controls the closing and opening of gates

 and as the boats rise to the level of the canal, the front gate opens 

for boats to continue on their journey.

We climbed close to five hundred feet over the entire distance of our journey 

from Capestang to Port Lauragais.

Incredible engineering.

Don't tell Ren Man I noticed.

Our journey up the canal continues...