Zip Lines and More!

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Saturday, June 17 2017

That morning, Craig and I walked the few steps to our local bakery where, as usual, we chose some delightful pastries to begin the day. I bought a beautiful pastry called a fraisier, which is made with delicate layers of sponge cake, creamy mousse filling, and fresh strawberries. 

As it was Saturday, the plan was to visit Acrobranche for an adventure in the trees. Janey had heard stories and seen photos from the previous year and she was eager for the experience. We were a bit concerned about whether our non-athletic granddaughter could handle herself in an aerial obstacle course. We explained just what she was letting herself in for, but she was determined. 

Craig helps his granddaughter prepare for
the adventure in the trees

We rode the bus to Ile de Charlemange. A friend of Desmond's accompanied the three of us. Melody had never attempted the course there, but had experienced the one near Paris, which we were not familiar with. I would act as photographer, following my little group of adventurers through the forest. After being fitted for their harnesses, everyone watched a safety video and then they were off! 

It starts with a mini training course.

Janey attacked the first obstacle
with determination.

Desmond and Craig, high in the trees.

Janey surprised us all with her enthusiasm and we were amazed at how quickly she picked up on the techniques of navigating the different obstacles. She was soon offering encouragement to others along the way. Melody, Craig, Des, and Janey completed the first course, after which Craig decided to stop. His hands were beginning to give out. We rested in the shade over a cold drink and were all surprised when Janey announced that she was ready to go again.

It takes a lot of concentration.

Janey navigates the rollers.

Just grab the cage and throw yourself in!

Des climbs a net to the next obstacle.

Melody, Janey, and Desmond set off once more, and when they had completed the next set of zip lines and other obstacles, Craig told them we would treat everyone to ice cream. It wasn't long after that when the trio enthusiastically set off for a third adventure on a more difficult course. The day had grown warm, though a cool breeze and lots of shade made it bearable. On one of the zip lines, Janey injured her finger. It hurt terribly, as she had nearly lost the fingernail, but she soldiered on. Craig and I weren't even aware of the injury until she had completed the entire course. We were very proud of her. It was a hot walk in full sun to the bus stop, where we had a long wait, but everyone agreed it had been a good day. 

Janey rode a kayak through the treetops!

Janey injured her hand on the zip line.

Des crosses on the wooden skulls. 

For dinner that evening, Des and Janey picked up kebab sandwiches and fries from a little shop on the square. We relaxed a while, and then began packing for our little mini-vacation to Amboise the next day. 

TRAVEL TIP: Don't forget your gloves if you are going zip-lining. 

Flexibility is the Key

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Friday, June 16 2017

The forecast was for beautiful weather and we thought a little day trip might be in order. After coffee and pastries, we decided that we would like to show Janey the castle being built at Guedelon, and since it's difficult to reach by public transportation, we were in need of a car. We didn't feel right about borrowing one. Des and Craig checked with some car rental services, but that fell through. We were disappointed but not upset. There is a lot to be said for flexibility, however, and it was simply too nice to stay indoors. The four of us went to Parc Floral to play miniature golf, which is always a hilarious pastime. 

It was perfect weather for mini golf.

It's not easy to hit the ball into a basket.
Janey was the only one who succeeded that day!

That evening, we invited Desmond's neighbor, Mathieu to have dinner with us at the new burger cafe which had opened just a few feet away from the apartment. Mathieu was pleased that we had included him. He speaks very good English and has visited America. He had even been to Wichita! 

Les Burgers du Boucher in Orleans France

We were all impressed by Les Burgers du Boucher. The decor was modern, with a touch of rusticity in the exposed stone walls at one end of the restaurant. The menu had a wide selection of burgers from which to choose. Many of them were served with seeded buns, and not just the ordinary sesame seed variety. These had a mixture of sunflower seeds, rolled oats, poppy seeds, pine nuts, and more. Quite tasty. And the fries! France always seems to do fries right, and these were no exception. Our meals were brought to us on wooden cutting boards, and each large, juicy burger was skewered with bamboo. 

Dinner is served! You must try Les Burgers du Boucher.

Scrumptious, and more than I could finish.

It was good to see that the restaurant was busy. They were preparing a lot of carry-out orders, which is still a bit unusual in France. We were happy to have another restaurant so close to home. We'll be back. 

We ended our evening with a sitcom and playing with Azur. After a while, even he was ready to call it a day.

Taming the Savage Garden

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Thursday, June 15 2017

Desmond had the day off! The morning was somewhat cool, so we all worked on tidying the "savage garden".  Des and Craig bought a weed whacker, which was a huge help. The day began to warm up rapidly, but we carried on for two hours and really accomplished a lot. We had no way to dispose of the branches and trimmings. That's not something you can haul away on the tram! Instead, they were neatly and compactly piled into a corner where they will quickly decompose. 

Des and Craig clear the garden

A path to the terrace. Time for a barbecue?

After we all had cleaned up with cool showers, we decided to have lunch at a cafe on the square. There were many tables outside, with colorful umbrellas to provide welcome shade. Janey and I chose the plat du jour of lasagna and a green salad. The other special, selected by both Craig and Desmond, was pollock gratin. It was a very tasty, leisurely lunch and we were appreciative of the ice in our drinks. I spoke briefly with a nice young man who was dining with his wife and two adorable little daughters. I think he must have overheard us and wanted to practice his English, which was excellent. 

A lovely view on the square

After lunch, we walked across the bridge to take Janey to Sweety. It's a cute little candy store, and we all picked out an assortment of sugary treats. We noticed a granita machine in the corner, and soon were slurping the icy concoctions as we left the shop and headed toward the art museum.

Janey and Craig at Sweety, Orléans Fr

Des had suggested the art museum as a great place to cool off. We always enjoy the many displays of various paintings, sculptures and other art. The air conditioning was a bonus! We also paid a visit to the little Joan of Arc museum. It was a bit disappointing, though, because they were no longer displaying the many fascinating dioramas which had depicted the life of Jeanne d'Arc. We did, however, run into Celine and were able to chat with her for a few minutes.

Cooling down at the art museum

After leaving the museum, the three of us met Jeff for drinks at the Paxton's Head pub on Rue de Borgogne. The afternoon was still quite warm, and that cherry beer had never tasted so good! We talked and laughed for quite some time in cool, dark interior of the bar. Paxton's doesn't serve food, so after a while we wandered over to Delirium, where could have a snack. Ice cream was about the only thing that sounded good to me on such a hot day, so I ordered a banana split. It was enormous! Janey chose the flammenkueche, which is similar to pizza. She devoured it and then finished my ice cream.

Another good way to cool off on a hot day!

We walked slowly home along the Loire and then ended our day with a movie.