I enjoyed the morning at Chateau de Chenonceau. Not only was our visit perfectly planned to avoid the crowds, but the chateau wasn't as overwhelming as Chambord had been the previous day. Once again, Virginie gave us an overview of what to look for, and then set us free to explore. We wandered the inside and marveled at the fresh flower displays, before exploring the gardens. It was another very warm and sunny day, and I am the type that can get a sunburn in Ireland, so we quickly admired the views, then retreated to the shady areas of the gardens.
Our Free Afternoon and Evening
We had plenty of free time this afternoon for exploring the market, lunch, a nap, and a visit to Leonardo da Vinci's home. It was a short walk from the town center to Clos Luce, where da Vinci lived for the last few years of his life. It was rather crowded, and quite warm. We, however, were not grumps, and explored the best we could the main house, a special exhibit, and the gelato stand. There were many more areas that we didn't get to, it would be easy to spend most of a day here, especially if you were a big da Vinci fan.
Our evening consisted of pizza, MORE gelato, and lots of people watching as the town prepared for the big football match. France ended up losing, which was probably the most helpful to us. We were afraid that if the French team won, the town would be celebrating all night! As it turned out we had a very peaceful rest that night.
Dear Friends:
I'm so tired but there is no way sleep is happening soon. We are in the little town of Amboise and the town is going crazy over the Eurocup game France vs. Portugal. The weather is still extremely hot, so our room widows are wide open and therefore we get to participate in the festivities whether we want to or not! Our morning was spent strolling the Chateau Chenonceau. Known as the ladies' castle... because there was high drama between wives and mistresses here. Our afternoon was first spent exploring another market. While this one did have amazing food vendors, it also had some rather unusual stalls. For instance I could have bought pants, shoes, a mattress, live chickens or a huge soccer ball the same size as some cars here! After a rest (and a phone call with my daughter) we walked to da Vinci's house. This is where he lived the last three years of his life. This is also where Mona Lisa lived for a while because it was one of three pieces Leo brought with him from Italy. Of course there was gelato...it is vacation and it is really hot!"