On Sunday morning, we said goodbye to Jeff and Ken, who are headed back to the States. They are shown here with our hosts,Teresa and Reginald Dalle. La Giraudiere is the Dalle's home. Reginald taught French at MUS for a long time; Teresa was one of my ESL teachers when I got ESL certification almost 20 years ago.
Lunch out behind the house. The only downside to all this was that since I left my hat in Brussels, I burned my bald spot badly.
Do we seem to be enjoying ourselves? 
On Sunday afternoon, we loaded up and headed to abbaye de Fontevraud. First, on the backroads we were traveling, we wound up behind a bicycle racing team. We basically stayed behind them for a couple of miles.
I was also somewhat concerned that the area we were driving through was often used for military exercises, especially when I saw the sign that said "no entrance - unexploded ordinance." Guess the cyclists are motivated to stay on the road, too.
Fontevraud was founded in 1101 and was used for religious purposes and later as a prison as well. It is the resting place for Eleanor of Aquitaine and her son, King Richard the Lionheart, among others. (From Vicki: One of the "others" is Henry II, Eleanor's second husband. They had quite a dynamic relationship, and her last jab to Henry was having him buried here, rather than where he wanted to be buried. She took the veil there after Henry's death.
This is Eleanor - takes reading in bed to a whole new level.
The cloisters of the main convent....
And one of many different figurines on the kitchen tower. Reminded me of some former students...
On the way back, we stopped by the Chateau de Montsoreau.
Back to La Giro for pastis and dinner, then the finals in football. Italy really tanked.
What a place to be.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
On Sunday afternoon, we loaded up and headed to abbaye de Fontevraud. First, on the backroads we were traveling, we wound up behind a bicycle racing team. We basically stayed behind them for a couple of miles.
I was also somewhat concerned that the area we were driving through was often used for military exercises, especially when I saw the sign that said "no entrance - unexploded ordinance." Guess the cyclists are motivated to stay on the road, too.
Fontevraud was founded in 1101 and was used for religious purposes and later as a prison as well. It is the resting place for Eleanor of Aquitaine and her son, King Richard the Lionheart, among others. (From Vicki: One of the "others" is Henry II, Eleanor's second husband. They had quite a dynamic relationship, and her last jab to Henry was having him buried here, rather than where he wanted to be buried. She took the veil there after Henry's death.
This is Eleanor - takes reading in bed to a whole new level.
The cloisters of the main convent....
And one of many different figurines on the kitchen tower. Reminded me of some former students...
On the way back, we stopped by the Chateau de Montsoreau.
Back to La Giro for pastis and dinner, then the finals in football. Italy really tanked.
What a place to be.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
So uh, Fourth of July plans?
ReplyDeleteBecause Frenchmen know all about how to run a revolution.
Perhaps we should just go into all of the nearby villages and act obnoxious so that they know we are American (as if they couldn't tell from our dress!).
ReplyDelete