The name of this boat, which I spotted in the harbor of Cannes, may require an explanation. In spoken French, it is not uncommon to suppress a vowel and form a contraction, for instance by saying “p’tit chat” instead of “petit chat” (small cat), or “f’nêtre” instead of “fenêtre” (window). Strictly speaking, this is, of course, incorrect, but hey, it saves a whole syllable. While adults tend to skip vowels, small children conversing in baby talk often drop consonants, and so, “petit chat” can be successively shortened to “p’tit chat” and even “tit chat”. The subject of today’s photo is thus clearly a “tit bateau”, a little boat, or more appropriately, a “Li’l boat”. Perhaps you were thinking of something “udderly” different, dear reader? I wouldn’t put it past you to be so uncouth…