Galaxie Le Mans

... In fact, sunset was at about 9.30pm, after which the sky retains serene blue/purple hue which seems to characterise European Summer. I am struggling with the lack of sunlight on return to Melbourne!
On our last night in France, we had dinner at La Chanceliere in Montbazon, the village near our Chateau. It was recommended by one of Yvonne's (our Travel Agent) clients but unfortunately the oyster ravioli is a winter speciality. Nevertheless, the food was superb.

Thank God for the GPS and the Audi s4!! This place is really nice... our room is austrian themed. We arrived and checked the place out, we had dinner at the hotel restaurant...the menu was in French so we had a fun time translating everything....I have un petite phrase book that really helps!! We also went down the road to the cellars (cave in french), and had a wine tasting and bought some wine. Tommorrow we are going to see some Chateaux!!!

... down on a bacon con carne random meal which was suprisingly nice then did a create of beer in an attempt to rebuild team spirit. Obviously we talked quite philosophically about stuff none of us remember. It was a clear hot night and we decided to leave off the waterproofing for our tents. Yes, yes it did then decide to rain in the night.

... the night was looming. Fearing for his life due to the number of massive water filled ditches and a firm knowledge of Olly's issues when riding a bike we decided to get the police to search. They started looking.

Olly decides to give us a phone call at half 11, at night, 6 hours after we last saw him. He decided to cyle 30 more miles to Le Mans. nob head. Interested to know his logic we arranged to meet up the following day. Unfortunately, we had know ...

... visited my brother was on a mission to find castle with a hedge maze. As painful as this was the first castle hade a hedge maze but it was not good enough for him so every castle we went to we looked for a hedge maze which we finally found Chenonceaux Chateu. The castle stretches across the Loire River and has its own beach. The castle was huge and smelled of old people. As we were just about to leave Ben saw the sign that ...

... They had gun’s in the fourteen
hundreds. I liked it. I am not sure why but i don’t mind cramped underground spaces. In fact i quite like them.
Leonardo da Vinci’s house, was amazing. We saw all his scribbles in a notebook of his, we some his inventions in a framed model. But the garden was what was most amazing. In the garden they had life sized inventions ...

... around the streams and fields and watch the rock climbers in action. "She's not very good.", say the kids, as we watch one woman struggle up the face of a cliff. Tough crowd. Its a magical day. Janice captured the feeling wonderfully in the video of me and the kids walking in the field. Peaceful and fun. Its true what I told Vincent today in Ste. Suzanne, ... "These types of places, and these experiences ... they beat a place like Versailles hands down in my book."

... FOOD! A cheese plate full of local specialties and some fresh bread. I'm about to burst at the seams, but I can't stop! ... We get to sample Camembert, Morbier, St. Felicern (all from cow's milk) and Pandoux (goat's milk). Janice and I agree that they are all great (although the Morbier is too strong for our liking... a bit like blue cheese) ... my fav is the Camembert, Janice likes the Pandoux. ... I'm on overload at this point. We take a ten minute break to talk, and then out ...

... a travel size 'close the box' dice game for 5 euros. Hopefully the kids will like it. I also pick up some avocados, and just as I head back home I stop in to the local boulangerie and grab a baguette for lunch and some treats. The baked good selection here never fails. Just amazing the options and excellent quality of everything we've tried. Back home, Janice makes a fabulous salad, some leftover pasta, and a cheese platet to die for. Good stuff ....... the kids play inside ...

... Em is thriving on the fantastic places to run among the vineyards and the beautiful streets of the little towns we've been staying in. We're in Rousett, Provence currently, heading to Nice today for 3 nights then fly out from Nice to the Netherlands on 18th June to see Matt and Michelle. Hopefully we'll find a good deal on a van there, if not, it's on to London to find a van. Keep the news coming, we love hearing from everyone. Lots of Love, Al & Em