Segway Through Amboise

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Monday, June 19 2017

We woke to a beautiful sunny morning, but knew that the temperature was expected to rise alarmingly during the day. The night before, it had been difficult to fall asleep. The rooms didn't really cool down until around 2:00 AM, though the one fan did help to move the air a bit. We had little food in the gite because we were unable to shop on Sunday. I found coffee in the cupboard, along with some packets of tea. We made do with the snack foods we had brought from home. We planned to buy pastries as soon as we reached a bakery, so we set off for the center of Amboise where we were to meet our guide for a Segway tour.

Walking into Amboise from the gite.

We found the meeting place, but no bakery. However, there was a small market nearby where Craig was able to grab some cookies and Orangina. We just had time to gulp them down before greeting our guide.

We were soon fitted with helmets and went through a brief training session. Craig, Desmond, and I have lots of experience with Segway, but this was Janey's first ride. She caught on immediately and in no time we were following our guide through the streets of Amboise.

Janey receives Segway instuction.

Our guide told a story of this ancient church.

As we rolled along, our guide gave us a bit of history and told interesting stories about some of the old buildings and churches we passed. We rode along cobbled streets and through picturesque squares. It was simply beautiful.

We were told that this
 is the oldest house in Amboise.

A crowded restaurant in Amboise, France.

Another charming home in Amboise.

A visit to a wine cave was part of our tour, and included wine tasting. When we arrived at the cave, we left our machines parked outside and entered the cave. Janey was surprised to learn that she would be allowed to participate in the wine tasting, though she did switch to grape juice at one point. All of us enjoyed receiving advice and information about the different wines that were offered, and of course we purchased some to take home.

Janey, Craig, and Des in the wine cave.

Des and Craig purchase some wine.

After the tour, we were ready for some real food. We found a bistro that was cool inside, and enjoyed a lunch of pizza, sandwiches, and quiche. I ordered a citron presse, which was refreshing and oh, so tangy!

Our next stop was Clos Luce. It was crowded and hot, but we enjoyed it tremendously. New displays had been added since our previous visit. Leonardo da Vinci's studio was so intricately recreated that it appeared as if the man himself had just put down his paintbrush and stepped out for a moment.

Leonardo da Vinci's studio at Clos Luce.

Outside, we walked the beautifully landscaped grounds, showing Janey the working inventions that had been created using da Vinci's detailed plans and drawings. It was fascinating and educational. One could easily spend an entire day at Clos Luce.

Janey tries out a da Vinci invention.

A lovely scene at Clos Luce.

Janey tries the helical pump at Clos Luce.

By the time we began our trek back to the gite, the temperature had climbed dramatically, reaching a high of 97 degrees. We walked slowly, carrying our bottles of water and making use of the tiny misting fans I had brought along.

Once home, we couldn't imagine cooking a hot meal. Des and Craig braved the temperature again to walk to the supermarket and returned with food and drinks for a cold supper. We enjoyed chicken rillettes spread upon a fresh baguette, accompanied by fresh fruit, sausage, chips, and other goodies. We wrapped up the evening playing board games.

A Tour of Tours on Segway

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 29, 2015

Poor Craig was on vacation but didn't get to sleep in! He was a very good sport about it, though. That day, we awoke at 7:00, drank our coffee, and then popped into our neighborhood bakery for eclairs and chouquettes to munch on the way to Tours. The scenery consisted mostly of field after field of the bright yellow colza. At one point, it looked like a brilliant yellow river as it curved along between stands of trees. 

Walking toward the center of Tours, we came upon the huge outdoor market which was in full swing. We walked through, enjoying each enormous section. The colorful flower market booths were very busy with shoppers buying flowers, herbs, and bedding plants. The scent was wonderful! We came upon the clothing market, where I could have browsed for an hour or two. There were scarves, shoes, belts, and purses, in addition to just about any article of attire you could want. We continued on through the food market, the book stalls, and at the end discovered a flea market. We stopped to look at some bookends that Desmond was interested in and he got a good price on them when we also purchased a wooden cat figurine. Craig and I had somehow fallen into the tradition of purchasing some sort of cat themed item on each trip to France. 

Lots of beautiful flowers!

As we continued on toward the heart of Tours, Craig was enjoying his first look at the town he had heard so much about after I had visited last year. Place Plumereau was becoming crowded with tourists as lunchtime approached. It was a lovely, sunny day, though cool, and many tables were already surrounded by people drinking coffee and chatting. We realized that we were going to have to grab a quick lunch if we were going to be on time for our upcoming Segway tour. We found a tiny kebab shop on a side street and ordered sandwiches and fries. The sandwiches were huge! Des and I could have shared one, for neither of us was able to finish. 

A lovely street in Tours, France.

City hall in Tours, France.

Soon, we were on our way to meet our Segway tour guide, David. Craig and I were pleased to discover that he spoke English quite well. He was easygoing and fun. It didn't take David long to realize that we had been truthful when we told him that we were experienced Segway riders. In no time, we were on our way! David led us on a tour of Tours which lasted an hour and a half and was absolutely amazing. I never stopped smiling! We traveled first along the Loire, past the university, and came to a point of the pathway where the walkway was very "steepy", as David would say. He told us that this would be a good place to see how fast we could go on the Segway and to experience how the machine will push back at you if you have maxed out. It is a self-limiting feature. David told me to go first, so I took off, enjoying the speed and grinning from ear to ear. I was expecting everyone else to follow and when I reached the bottom of the long incline, I turned and discovered that I was alone. I waited a few moments, as the trail was curved and I couldn't see the whole length of it. Soon, along came two people on bicycles, but no one else. I became concerned that there had been an accident, so I headed back the way I had come. Before long, there were my companions. It seemed that I had misunderstood David and was only supposed to have gone a short way. David had told the others else to wait, saying that I would soon notice I was all alone. 

Our Segway tour guide, David,
helps Craig adjust his helmet.

A Segway tour along the Loire in France.

David then guided us through the city streets, along shopfronts and then on to a bike/pedestrian bridge which took us to a lovely tree-shaded park on an island in the Loire. All along the way, we were treated to beautiful views of the river and the town. At one point, David curved suddenly into a u-turn behind a hedge and said, "let's hide!"  I was a bit slow to hide completely, but David popped out and yelled "boo!" at Desmond and Craig and then burst out laughing. He was just so adorable and fun that we had to laugh, too. We went on through the park, which was very pretty, and then David led us down a narrow alley. The old houses there seemed a bit run down, but the wisteria blooming everywhere gave the area a charming look.

 le Château de Tours

We crossed another bridge, which took us back toward the center of town. David led us through the busy market, where we received many stares, comments, and questions. Segway tours are new to the area, so we created quite a sensation. It was fun weaving in and out of the market and through the crowds to Place Plumereau. We felt like celebrities as everyone stared, pointed, and photographed us. We also went to the train station, which was very busy outside. A train had just arrived and there were passengers towing their luggage along the walks. At a crosswalk one man, whom I was trying carefully to avoid, looked me straight in the eye with an angry glare and then purposely moved over just enough to clip one of my wheels with his suitcase. It could have tipped my Segway, but Des, who was directly behind me, said he got the worst of it when my wheel flipped his suitcase over!

Our tour was nearly over, but David guided us past the the beautiful St. Gatien's cathedral, where we paused to take some photos. We then stopped to view the 200-year-old cedar of Lebanon (the cat was still there!) and stretch our legs for a bit. We then headed back to our starting point. We had such fun on that tour! We gave David a large tip, which he tried to refuse, but he really deserved it.  He was a great guide and aside from being fun, he was knowledgeable and gave us interesting information along the way. 

A 200-year-old Cedar of Lebanon
 in Tours, France.

  
If you visit France, you must try a Segway tour, if at all possible. It is tremendous fun and very easy to learn! The company we used was Freemove, which offers tours in Amboise, Tours, and Blois.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

August 24. 2014

Today is a departure from the normal look back at my travel journal. I want to let everyone know that I'm still alive and well. I hope to resume the journal soon.

I knew that I would be taking a break for at least a month while our son Des was visiting from France. We had such a wonderful, busy time. A mini vacation in Texas was fun, though very hot! We enjoyed showing Desmond around in Fort Worth. The highlight was a Segway tour in the beautiful Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. Back in Kansas, Des had many people to catch up with.  We managed to find a bit of time to relax out on the deck when the weather was cool enough to allow it. A trip to the Sedgwick County Zoo was a day well spent.

Here we are, just beginning our Segway tour.

It was a treat to have lots of one-on-one with Desmond. We did some shopping, hitting some of his favorite shops. We didn't neglect the favorite restaurants, either! There were many friends and relatives to catch up with, and sometimes schedules or illness got in the way.  But all-in-all, I think he had a great visit.

I have since been occupied with some major renovations on our little brick house. Everything seemed to happen at once! Craig and I had made the decision to have a new roof installed, along with siding on the gables, and some new guttering. After we had signed the contract and were ready for work to begin, we discovered a leak in the old cast iron pipe in the basement. Fortunately, the leak was small, and it was situated just above the sump pit, but we had to schedule repair right away.

The plumbing repair was less extensive than we had thought it would be, but we chose to have a small half-bath installed as well. It was something we had always wanted, and it seemed like a good time to do it. The plumbing work was completed in one day, though we still have a wall to build and some electrical work to complete. The siding will be finished soon, and I already love the new roof!

Craig and I have been planning these renovations for some time. There will be more to come. We want to have the house in tip-top shape before he retires in a few years. And as every homeowner knows, the work never ends. At least, we will have all the major stuff out of the way.