Just another way Rick and his guides are master minds at logistics. After our wine tasting there really isn't any place for a group to find lunch. Their solution is to have us shop the local market in our free morning to get picnic supplies so that after our wine tasting we can eat, maximize our time, and have a reason to shop the local market! I am so glad we shopped at the town market, as I probably would have been too intimidated to try it without the subtle nudge from Virginie that we needed food for lunch! Mom and I felt really proud of ourselves as we purchased our fruit, bread, and cheese. With each purchase we became more comfortable with trying to communicate with the generous townspeople. Our final challenge of the morning was purchasing STAMPS from the post office. I wanted to mail my daughter some postcards while she was in England. My mom expertly repeated the phrase Virginie had taught us to ask for stamps, and VOILA! We were able to purchase them! Buying stamps has never been so exciting!
Our Afternoon and Evening with the Group
Our afternoon was exactly what I imagined an afternoon in the French countryside to be. We sipped wine under the shade of a lovely tree on the grounds of a castle. Then ate our AMAZING picnic lunch before heading to the Loire Valley to gaze upon the castles of kings. Well, really it was a chateau. (Chateaux, Castles, to-MAY-to, to-MAH-to.) The point being it was a HUGE and amazing building. Virginie gave us an overview of what to look for then set us off on our own, which was the perfect way experience the grandeur.
We arrived in Amboise and the evening consisted of a short orientation walk around town before a group dinner in our hotel restaurant. It was a warm evening, so I opened the windows to let the cool air in. As I stuck my head out the window, I discovered right next to our hotel was the Amboise castle! A few minutes later we also discovered that the castle had a light and sound show with fireworks! It was like we were RIGHT there, only in our jammies and in bed!
Dear Friends:
"This morning started out with a stroll to the Saturday morning town market. Here the town of Bourges sells the most amazing array of fruits, vegetables, cheese, bread, and meats. You wouldn't think that buying strawberries would be so intimidating, but with a French vocabulary of an infant, it can be challenging. I did manage to purchase strawberries without too much difficultly which gave us the confidence to purchase the other supplies for our picnic. Each person we encountered was kind and helpful even as they chuckled at those silly Americans. Our next adventure was a cheese and wine tasting located on the grounds of a beautiful castle. Under the shade of a huge cedar tree we pretended we had a clue about wine, but really how much do you need to know to drink a glass of wine in France? Inside the castle is where I found Mr. Knight. I think we make a nice couple. We then enjoyed our picnic lunch. You haven't really lived until you have tasted the French strawberries. Those red things we have in the States should be embarrassed to call themselves by the same name. Our last stop of the day was at the Chateau de Chambord. It looks similar to The Biltmore in North Carolina only about ten times larger. Its nickname is the "man's castle" as it was a hunting lodge at one time. You could live here and never find another member of your family for years it is so massive. Now, don't think that the day was perfect, it was close. It is extremely hot here. There is nothing quite like sightseeing in almost 90 weather. The warm temperatures are unusual for this area and our hotel does not have air conditioning. Our windows are opened wide to hopefully let in the cool night air and not any bugs. Tonight I shall dream of strawberries, knights in shining armor, and wine."