Relax, Sit a Spell

Something you don't see everyday: A giant inflatable easy chair floating in the Rhone. [Photo, from the terraces of the Berges du Rhone]

Turns out that both the giant chair and the giant doudou (French version of a kid's teddy bear, usually a mouse for some reason; [photo]) are part of an art project aimed at reminding people not to get too complacent about the threat of flooding from the Rhone. Hence the objects that one associates with comfort, security and reassurance. At least that's what the artist's statement said, anyway. [Photo: Giant floating mouse and Passarelle du College]

Note in this fourth photo the two tubular slides leading from the street-level Quai down to the riverside Berges... Boog's favorite playground because of those (you may need to click on the photo to enlarge it to see them.)

Speaking of floods, I passed these markers [photo] while walking on the banks of the Saone-- each shows a high-water mark from various floods in the 70s and 80s. Even the uppermost one is a good five feet below the top of the concrete embankment. This part of the river between Gare de Vaise and Ile-Barbe is popular among fishermen because of its shady, quiet banks, but probably also because there are some big honkin' fish. The plaque at right lists local record catches for several species (including a 46-pound carp and a 7-foot-long, 160-pound catfish). Not bad, and it's not even downstream from the nuclear power plant.