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.

Another Walk in the Park

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Friday, June 9 2017

Ahhh, I was able to sleep late! I had hung a towel across the top of the window, which effectively blocked the bright morning sun. Desmond had already left for work, so I sipped my coffee, nibbled a blueberry crepe, and then took care of some household chores until Janey awoke.

A beautiful day at Parc Floral
 in Orleans France

We had planned to meet Desmond at Parc Floral for a picnic lunch. I packed a baguette, along with cans of chicken and pork rillettes, potato chips (grilled steak flavor), and fresh fruit. It had rained during the night and the air was fresh and cool. After lunch, we had some time to explore the grounds. We meandered over to the children's section, where we viewed the animals, including a peacock that was perched on a low tree branch. Janey tried the huge slide, and liked it so much that she went down several times. There were many children in the park, obviously there on school trips. They seemed to be having a great day, as were we.

Des captures a posing peacock.

Janey on the climbing frame at Parc Floral.

Now, that's a slide!

A lovely scene at Parc Floral.

Soon it was time for Des to go back to work. Janey and I headed home, with the tram becoming more crowded at each stop. Even though we had stationed ourselves fairly close to the doors, we still had to fight our way through to disembark at our stop. We barely managed it!

Janey on the tram before it became crowded.

I called Craig as soon as we got home and learned that there was still no news regarding his passport. The lack of information was depressing. We were missing him, and were very eager to have him with us in France. 

When Desmond arrived home, he and I made a quick run to Carrefour. We took the groceries home, grabbed Janey, and hurried into town to meet Erica for drinks at  le Paxton's Head, an English style pub on the Rue de Borgogne. It was good to see Erica again. She and Des ordered beer and I enjoyed a tall, refreshing Monaco. Janey had a complimentary drink of water sweetened with mint syrup.

The Paxton's Head in Orléans France

We were famished by the time Erica left to catch her train. We ate kebab sandwiches and crisp, hot fries at the nearby Grec Gourmand, sitting at a table outside. Janey and Desmond were facing the cobblestone street, and they kept up a hilarious running commentary regarding the pedestrians. They would place bets as to which ones would fail to notice the  pile of dog doo which a passing canine had deposited in the middle of the busy street. Disgusting and yet somehow quite funny. 

Janey at the Grec Gourmand, Orléans France

As the evening drew to a close, we walked slowly home beside the river. A movie was a fun and relaxing way to end the day. 

An Easy Day

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Monday, June 5 2017

I slept well and woke at 7 AM. Janey was still slumbering. I knew she had been unable to sleep on the plane, so I left her snuggled beneath the blankets and went into the other room to make coffee. I opened the windows to a beautiful, sunny morning and sipped my coffee as I gazed out at the courtyard. There were a surprising number of birds around, thanks to the many secluded courtyards, parks, and other green spaces. They were singing cheerfully and I enjoyed their sweet twitters and chirps as I relaxed. Azur was soon sitting on the window ledge, alert to all the activity outside.

Azur greets the morning.

Desmond soon awoke, and before long we were headed over to the bakery on the square. Within minutes, we were munching on tasty lemon tarts. We lounged around, discussing Craig's ordeal and his urgent quest for an expedited passport renewal. It was a helpless feeling, knowing there was nothing we could do to speed up the process. We missed him terribly.

I finally woke Janey at 10:00. We had decided on an easy day and at 11:30 we took the tram to Parc Floral. Janey had seen many photos of the beautiful botanical garden and she was happy to view it first-hand. We wandered aimlessly, serenaded by birdsong while admiring the lovely floral displays. We also stopped in to see the butterfly house and then continued our stroll through the gardens. After a while, Janey began to have an allergic reaction to something there. Her eyes were beginning to itch and swell, so we cut our visit short.

A pretty resident of the butterfly house.

We stopped at Auchan to purchase food for the evening meal.My granddaughter enjoyed wandering around the huge grocery store and she picked out some snack cakes and cereal for herself. That evening, Desmond made an incredible meal of orange duck, pureed sweet potatoes, and sauteed cherry tomatoes. The tasty orange sauce was a perfect topping for the creamy sweet potatoes. Our day ended with a nostalgic movie. 

A wonderful meal!

TRAVEL TIP: Always be aware of the expiration date on your passport. Go check it. Now. 

Parc Floral and the University of Orléans

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Desmond had already left for work when Craig and I awoke. It was lovely, clear morning with a hint of coolness in the gentle breeze. We had coffee and then walked down the street to one of our favorite bakeries. I selected a beautiful fraisier, which was a delicate combination of strawberries in a light, firm mousse atop a thin, crisp crust. It was as delicious as it was pretty. After breakfast we went out for a while to do a bit of shopping. When the groceries were taken home and put away, it was nearly time for us to meet our son at the university where we would be joining his conversation class.

A delectable French pastry.

We walked across the campus, admiring the landscaping, and easily located the building in which we were to meet Desmond. There was good attendance at class that day, and we thoroughly enjoyed meeting the students who were from many different countries. These bright, inquisitive engineering students were a pleasure to listen to and converse with. When class was over, Desmond had some free time before the next lesson. As we were leaving the room, he invited anyone who also had some free time to join us for coffee. There were only two who were able to do so. Luca, who was from Italy, and Mohamed, from Algeria, accompanied us along the tree-shaded path which led to a nearby cafe. 

The lake at the University of Orléans.

A lively hour of conversation followed, as we sipped coffee or hot chocolate. We learned as much from Luca and Mohamed as they did from us. It was such a wonderful thing to discover another culture from the people who live it. All too soon, our time was up and Craig and I parted company with the others as they returned to the university. 

I walked along with Craig to Parc Floral, where we would meet with Desmond after he had finished work. We were ready for lunch by then, and had planned to eat in the restaurant located at the botanical gardens. It was closed when we arrived, so I suggested the little snack bar at the miniature golf concession, which was a short stroll away through the lovely gardens. We placed our orders and found a shaded table, which was promptly set with china and cutlery. Craig enjoyed a pizza, which he said was delicious even though he knew it had come from the freezer and was not freshly made. I don't recall the name of my dish, but it was a delightful, flaky serving of puff pastry topped with a very fresh-tasting melange of vegetables and herbs in tomato sauce, and topped with meltingly soft slices of fresh mozzarella, not unlike a pizza. And this was concession stand food! At home in America at a park, we would have been eating poor quality hot dogs or hamburgers off of paper plates. What a contrast!

Lunch at a French concession stand!

When Des arrived, we first walked over to the iris gardens. They were in full bloom and were simply stunning! There was a huge variety of them in beautifully landscaped gardens.

Just a few of the gorgeous iris at Parc Floral, Orléans.

Lovely iris at Parc Floral.

Parc Floral, Orléans France is a must-see!

We then strolled back to the miniature golf course. It was a fun course, with a few nearly impossible holes to shoot for. We laughed a lot as we progressed through the game. It was a great way to spend the afternoon.

That evening, Arno joined us for supper, bringing along a bottle of wine. Des made his fabulous roast duck, while I worked on the mashed potatoes and carrots which I whipped with caramelized onion, coconut milk, butter, nutmeg. We had appetizers of tortilla rollups and toasted baguette with duck mousse. Our dessert was a lovely vanilla cake which was split and filled with pastry cream and fresh strawberries. It was a memorable meal. We finished the evening with a game of Phase Ten, which everyone enjoyed.

Blossoms and Butterflies

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Monday, May 16, 2016

A Monday holiday is such a treat! Desmond was off work that day. It was sunny and gorgeous so we decided that a picnic at Parc Floral would be a great way to enjoy that extra day off. After coffee and a delightful lemon tart, we packed a lunch and were soon on our way to one of my favorite places in Orléans. 

It was the perfect time of year for a walk through the lovely botanical garden. We walked slowly, admiring the gorgeous blossoms, lush ferns, and flowering trees. We were serenaded with cheerful birdsong as we strolled the grounds. It was almost as if we had the place to ourselves. Parc Floral is quite large and even on busy days there are many times when no other people are in sight.

Beautiful flowers at Parc Floral in Orleans, France.

We saw many varieties of trees, some of which were the weeping type, whose branches form private, shaded bowers and little nooks where it would be pleasant to spread a blanket and read. The iris garden was beautiful, though it would be another week or so before the flowers would all be in full bloom. I was already planning to return with Craig after he arrived in France.

More gorgeous iris at Parc Floral.

We visited the butterfly house and walked slowly through it, hoping to catch a glimpse of some of the rarest and most flamboyant butterflies in residence. There was one large one with exquisite iridescent blue wings trimmed in black. I tried to photograph it, but it simply wouldn't hold still!

A butterfly luncheon party.

We found a shaded bench surrounded by climbing roses and sat down to enjoy our lunch. We had a pretty view of the pond, and behind it was the lovely stone chateau that, until recently, housed the administrative offices of the University. There were flowers everywhere, and a chorus of frogs calling from the banks of the pond. I ate a sandwich of ham, butter, pickles, and cassis-flavored mustard on a crusty baguette. Everything tastes so much better when eaten in such beautiful surroundings. We finished off with juicy nectarines before gathering up our things and heading toward the miniature golf course.

This was our lovely view during lunch.

The mini golf course is such fun, with some challenging holes that had us laughing as one or the other of us tried repeatedly to sink a shot! As we walked the course or paused to make a putt, we were often showered with tiny pink flowers that rained down on us from the trees above. In some places, the ground itself resembled a pink carpet.

Desmond attempts the maze at mini-golf.

When we left the park and drove home, the weather was still so beautiful that we were reluctant to be indoors. We walked over to a bar across the Loire and found a vacant table outside. I sipped a sweet cherry beer while enjoying the view. After that relaxing interval, we returned home to begin preparations for the evening meal.

We started our meal with tasty onion blossoms and fries, which we dipped into a wonderful sauce The Des had whipped up. Then, I helped prepare Brazilian beans and rice. It was made in a rice cooker and was a delicious combination of smoked sausage, chick peas, rice, chicken broth, bay leaf, and lots of garlic. Ice cream rounded off the meal. It was a fabulous day!

Another glimpse of Parc Floral

Meanwhile, in France...

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Sunday, April 27, 2013

Just another beautiful day in France! Craig and I awoke to some very welcome sunlight streaming through the shades. It was so pleasant to be able to brew a pot of coffee in our little kitchen and enjoy the strong, fragrant beverage while listening to some soft music. 

This was our view outside Halles Chatelet 
as we enjoyed our eclairs.

We made our way across the river to Halles Chatelet, where we purchased a couple of delightful caramel eclairs and then sat outside in the sun while we enjoyed them. Desmond came into view not long after we had finished. We all had plans to meet some friends of theirs for a picnic, but due to an illness, the plans had to be changed. The three of us decided to visit Parc Floral, the botanical gardens in Orléans. We rode the tram out to Parc Floral de la Source. Des had packed a picnic lunch, and we were going to eat right away, but some clouds had moved in and it began to sprinkle. We instead visited the Butterfly House. 

It was lovely and warm inside the butterfly house. There were many beautiful and unusual butterflies fluttering about. The plants in there were lush and gorgeous. It was difficult to photograph the butterflies because the humidity inside kept fogging my camera lens. When at last we emerged into the park again, the rain had stopped. We located a picnic table near a tiny chapel on the grounds and unpacked the lunch Desmond had prepared. The ham and cheese sandwiches on crusty baguettes were delicious, as was the rich, hot chocolate. We were intrigued by the three flavors of chips - goat cheese bugles, roast chicken and thyme, and Bolognese! 

A beautiful resident of the Butterfly House at Parc Floral.

After lunch, we began to explore the park. It was absolutely wonderful, and I can't even begin to properly describe it! Even though it was a bit early in the season for the blooming plants, there was so much to see. Trees trimmed into fanciful shapes dotted the landscape, along with naturally growing species of every kind. There were several sculptures, a cute train to ride on, and even a charming watermill on a stream. Everywhere you turn, you will discover something unique and beautiful.

So picturesque!

There is even a little zoo, and a charming playground for the children. The place is enormous, and we did so much walking - but it was worth it. We especially enjoyed La Source, the spring that is indeed the source of the Loiret. It is a very large spring, though it flows quietly in its secluded grove. We explored Parc Floral for hours. It is such a delightful place. 

La Source, the beautiful spring in Parc Floral.

That evening, we visited Aurelie and Tonio, friends of Desmond, who live in a beautiful stone house that is at least 350 years old! I loved the beamed ceilings and the warm stone walls. Aurelie and Tonio are a charming couple who both speak a bit of English. We enjoyed the apero that was prepared for us, and nibbled on several different types of cheese along with olives, sausage,  pâte, duck mousse (a favorite of mine), crusty bread, and tiny pickles. There was a selection of beer and wine as well. We enjoyed the meal, talking and laughing. Later, we played a noisy game of Pit, which was fun. I was glad the building had such thick stone walls so we would not be disturbing anyone!