Singel: Life on the canal

While the daily goings on here on the streets are interesting, the life in the water is just as much fun, and maybe even more so to me, a guy from a landlocked place where a canoe is the only boat I ever see.


Note that ALL the photos below (except one) were taken in a single 3 hour period.


Boats on the canals fall into three basic categories. First, there are the tour boats. They come in the two subcategories of tours and dinner cruises, and in fancy and plain varieties. They pass by full on the tour, or empty, on the way to pick up the hoards.

Glass topped tour boat, full

Competing glass topped tour boat, empty

Fancy dinner cruise, empty

Dinner cruise, full (probably into dessert by this time)

At the other end of the spectrum are the private boats. These come in all shapes and with some variety of size, but are typically small, frequently in rough shape, sometime overloaded, commonly with people drinking.

Private boat, nice shape, no drinking

Private boat, beat up

Private boat, very nice, with drinking

Private boat, heavily loaded, with drinking

Two private boats, both overloaded, with drinking

Some private boats come with dogs.

Private boat, napping dog

Private boat, worried dog

Dogs sometimes have to "go" and a boat is no place for that. Solution? Dock, and get dog off boat.

Private boat, with drinking,  offloading dog

Some private boats just get out of control funny.

Drag queens. Probably.

Proof you can have your cake and sail it, too

The final category of boats here are our favourites: party barges. The boats are all of the same general design, and look like floating bathtubs. Party barges drive up and down the canals stuffed to the rafters with people, all standing, all drinking, and frequently with music playing loudly.

Party barge, hammered guys

Party barge, somewhat sedate women

Party barge, dancing guys

Party barge, animated women

Sometimes, the party barges get a bit out of control, and when they do, they attract a crowd. Of people and boats.

Yes, the girl on the bow of Beau'T is dancing,
and is about to be whacked by the bridge