There's a third category too, livaboards, meaning actual boats that someone is living on. In BC, "houseboat" usually means a floating vacation rental on a lake, equipped with a motor to move between designated mooring places on the lake. Thus actual domiciles set on a float or barge are usually now called float homes in BC. That wasn't the case in the first half of the 20th century when there were entire mobile villages on the water. More here: https://blog.nfb.ca/blog/2016/08/03/the-water-dwellers/

I was impressed with Scott's photos and, in need of a decent digital camera at the time (the waterproof one I got for kayaking only had one really good feature and I've mentioned it already), I acquired a Panasonic Lumix ZS50. It does what it does well enough, but just couldn't compare to my old film camera. I had by then acquired my Olympus E-M1ii and decided to take it on tours. It's weatherproof and dustproof (when paired with a weatherproof/dustproof lens) and so far, it's survived. It travels in my handlebar bag, though it takes up somewhat more room than the littly Panny.

I agrée with you they can drive you crazy. This is why although we use these aps ( largely Komoot) all the time while we are touring we are still old fashioned enough to like to have some sort of paper map There is nothing like having the security of a Bikeline guide

I just tried Maps to GPX and it's pretty slick. Thank for the tip!

Yes, CIBC has another one - similar to your example - they will deny an ATM withdrawal - usually while I am standing on some dusty Mexican street in some remote town, and out of cash. Then, assuming I can muster the wherewithal to call them in Toronto, using some kind of phone - probably on Skype - they will glibly point out that their software does not understand what I am doing down there. Another good one, with their $US credit card, is to block a gas purchase - in the US. Like why would I take their $US card to the US?

Bien and Gut!

The "secret code" isn't exclusive to CIBC. My TD travel rewards card does the same. What really gets me though is the fact that using a "travel rewards card" that certainly must assume that I will be "travelling", will only send the code to a Canadian mobile phone number "that is in Canada", meaning I'm unable to make an online purchase from any merchant that requires the code, while I am not in Canada.
I called them up to see if there's a workaround, and the response was basically "Too bad. So sad"

By contrast, the trains we subsequently booked in France and Germany were really easy!

Got car sick ( or sick of train talk) just reading what you need to do for a “fun vacation” via bike travel..Oy.

I’m with the removal camp. Restoration of the prior state should significantly enrich the wetland by diversifying it and establishing an array of biomes that attract and support different birds with different feeding and shelter environments. It should make it more like Sweetwater here, where in one spot you’ve got open ponds perfect for the dabblers and divers - scaups, teals, goldeneyes, ring billed ducks, widgeons, canvasbacks, gadwalls, and on and on and on. A few hundred yards away is a reedy section - cattails, dragonflies, swallows above snapping up insects, reed warblers and verdin peeking out shyly from the security of the rushes. And further on is marshland for the waders - sandpipers, snipe, green herons, moorhens. And around the margins are stands of willows (warblers), oaks and various snags to bring in the woodpeckers and raptors.

It will take awhile to develop after the dam is breached, but I’ll bet within a few years it will be significantly enriched, the birds will figure it out, and you’ll see more variety.

An executive summary would be nice. There is a huge benefit to the removal in that it restores the area to its natural state. Good habitat for spawning salmon and migratory birds, in particular, although I'd rather see the cobra chickens keep moving farther south.

A very fine description, Steve. Congratulations on having a plan for getting to Placencia! Don’t miss your train! Arrive way earlier than you think upyou need to, and be prepared for anything!

Also FYI, when we took the MD from Seville to Zafra last year there was confusion in finding the train in the station. The MD and AVE were both in the station, on the same track, back to back with the MD way in the back. So anything can happen. Make sure you get on the right train!

Also of course, get there in plenty of time so you can establish how to get to the correct platform. Is there an elevator, is it in service, etc.

Tomorrow's entry (spoiler alert) gives the thrilling sequel to the train booking adventure. Glad it provided some amusement.

If I was inclined to take a train in Spain, I would have given up on the idea after the first or second roadblock you ran into--certainly long before the fruitless, but humorous, AI fiasco. I have to admire your persistence. I hope it all works out in the end.

Sounds lovely. We started out at minus 7 or 8 today. At midday it has climbed all the way to plus 2. Yuucckk.