Today was very hot, about 90%, but with a pleasant breeze. What better day to find water! We headed out to the Canal du St. Martin, a man-made canal used to transport goods into Paris. Our first glimpse was pretty ordinary.
We passed a skate board park along the way. Apparently the skateboarders walk barefoot most of the time, since the trees in the park were festooned with shoes.
We had seen a small houseboat vamping ahead near a turn in the canal. When we got to the turn, we understood why -- there was a series of locks the boat was waiting to pass through.
First the lock opened.
The houseboat (the brown structure on the left) passed through and ties up to the side of the canal. The lock below started to drain water to lower the level in the lock.
Tom and I had been waiting in the middle of the street to see what came next. What came next was some yelling, when we realized that the center section of the street was going to turn to allow the boat to pass. We moved. Then barriers came down on either side of the street. You can see them below at the opposite side of the street. Then the street itself began to turn. Below you can see it moving away from the cement structure on the left.
First a little bit, then more, until the entire section of roadway was perpendicular to its usual place.
Below you see the roadway fully 90% from its usual direction, and the boat passing next to it.
Then the street moved back into place,
the barrier went up, and the people and cars resumed their normal traffic.
There were a couple more locks, until the final lock before the canal and the boat went underground.
We, too, headed for home.
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