Good Food and Good Friends

 Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: May 4, 2022

We all slept late that morning and then had delicious apple turnovers with our coffee. A light rain was falling as we left for Fleury-les-Aubrais. Vincent picked us up at the station and drove us to his place. It was too wet to be outside in his beautiful garden, so we entertained ourselves inside. We had managed to coax Wailers out of hiding, but the beautiful cat was still quite wary of me and Craig. 

Vincent with his beautiful cat, Wailers.

Vincent had put together a delicious lunch of curry chicken which was served over couscous with golden raisins and chickpeas to sprinkle on top. There were some pan-fried sausages and a baguette as well. It was accompanied by a delightful red wine. After lunch, Desmond, Agathe, and Arthus brought out their instruments and played some music for us. Des played his viola with Agathe on her violin. They did a couple of duets which were very good. Arthus entertained us with his cornet. After that, we all played a long game of Mexican train. Around 4:00, Vincent served more gorgeous pastries which we all exclaimed over. They were almost too pretty to eat! 

What would you choose?

We returned home at 6:30. Desmond and Craig set up the patio table and chairs down in the courtyard where we welcomed Desmond’s old neighbor, Mathieu. We ordered burgers and fries from the Boucherie des Burgers around the corner. Since Covid, they offered only carry-out, but they were quite busy. It was a great meal and we enjoyed catching up with Mathieu.

Shopping and Stuff

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal:  May 3, 2022 

It was a beautiful morning, and we enjoyed a tasty breakfast of coffee, fresh raw milk, and bread still warm from the bakery, topped with cashew butter and jam or honey. And the morning would not be complete without cuddles from Azur.

Craig and Desmond set out for a long walk along the Loire. It was to be an eight mile jaunt, which would have been too much for me. After they left, I decided to go on my own little excursion. I took the tram to Place D’Arc where I did a little shopping. When my back began to hurt, I found a quiet table at Paul and ordered a café crème and a couple of mini beignets. I sent some messages to family back home before continuing  with my shopping.

I love these beautiful shopping carts.

I appreciated the convenience of the tram as it delivered me to Halles Châtelet, where I always enjoy a stroll through the many little food shops there. Colorful displays of macarons invite shoppers to choose their favorite flavors, or perhaps  discover a new taste sensation. I paused at the cheese shop, overwhelmed by the variety. Across the aisle, a produce stand offered fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh pasta and bulk olive oil were available in the next aisle, and of course there was a wine shop, a butcher shop, a deli, and numerous other little stores. Across the wide hall are boutiques, gift shops, shoe stores, and much more.

I bought some linen napkins for Desmond as a little thank you gift. He always goes out of his way to insure that we have a wonderful vacation. I walked the rest of the way home, as it was just over the bridge. For dinner that evening, Des made a delicious zucchini-butter pasta topped with toasted pine nuts and sunflower seeds. Later, the three of us  went to meet up with Jeff for drinks. The bar was a popular place for billiards, and after a drink the guys all decided to play. I enjoyed watching while sipping on a refreshing Monaco. It was good to see Jeff again and we enjoyed hearing about his recent travels. He enjoys backpacking and has spent weeks at a time wandering all over France. When we left the bar, the evening was pleasantly cool and we thoroughly enjoyed the walk home.

Desmond and Craig enjoy a game of pool.