A Day Trip to Blois

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Wednesday, June 14 2017

Desmond had to work all day, so Craig, Janey, and I decided to take a little day trip to Blois. We all headed over to the bakery, where we purchased pastries and Desmond bought lunch for us to eat on the train. We had coffee at home while enjoying the pastries. I had a delightful apricot and custard tart. After Des took off for the university, the rest of us prepared for our little journey. We arrived early at the train station, which was a good thing since we had difficulty purchasing tickets from the automated kiosk. We finally went inside and waited in line at the ticket counter where a young man very kindly assisted us. Soon we were boarding the train, not forgetting to validate our tickets!

Janey and Craig at Gare d'Orleans

The smooth train ride was comfortable; the scenery lovely. About halfway into the ride, we pulled out the lunch treats from Des and shared a tasty baked sandwich and some surprisingly good pizza. We had bottled water and cans of Orangina as well. It was Janey's first train ride, and she enjoyed the journey. 

Arriving in Blois, France

We stepped off the train to a bright, sunny day that was rapidly warming. After a couple of wrong turns, and an uncooperative GPS, the three of us asked directions to the Royal Chateau, which we knew was not far from the station. We approached the castle from the back, through a park and some lovely gardens. At the ticket counter just inside the entrance, we waited patiently for our debit card to be processed. Craig commented on the slowness of the machine, and the man who was helping us replied with a wink, "Well, it's an old castle." 

Approaching the Royal Chateau

The beautifully restored chateau has many interesting artifacts. I was glad the interior was cool, because every time we stepped outside, the rising heat slammed into us. Each gallery and room brought new, or I should say, old wonders to discover. The King's opulent bedchamber was fascinating to Janey, as was the display of medieval weaponry in another part of the castle. We all enjoyed the Roman ruins displayed there. There was so much to see, and yet we were only able to tour about 1/4 of the structure before it was time to make our way back to the train station. But first, we had to visit the souvenir shop, where Janey purchased a lovely sketchbook and I found a pretty eyeglass case. 

A view into the courtyard of the castle

Medieval weaponry

How would you caption this gargoyle?

Janey on the steps of the Chateau.
 How many feet have trod those stairs?

The ornate bed of a king

When we returned home, we refreshed ourselves with cool drinks. Des arrived from the university and we nibbled snacks while we all relaxed in front of the fan. We had plans to meet Jake at Oh Terrior for dinner at 8:00. The restaurant was very crowded and somehow, in all the chaos, our orders were mixed up with those of another party. We were too hungry to wait for new dishes, so we ate and enjoyed the meals. Jake had secured a table for us in the coolest part of the restaurant, where we lingered and talked for quite some time. He is an astronomer and had many interesting stories to tell. We always enjoy meeting Desmond's friends. It was a fun evening. We walked slowly home along the Loire, with Jake accompanying us for most of the way. 

Pausing along the Loire for a photo with Jake