Loire Valley (I)

MOT DU JOUR:

Nuage (Cloud)

As in : Our bus driver, Stephan, drives our stick shift bus like a cloud.

Today’s post is short because I had to report/finish my post from last night. Unfortunately, I think something has happened with the main source of my WiFi in my homestay because I can’t access the internet at my house. To top it all off, as I tried to reboot my computer in my moment of hysteria, I lost the paper I had been writing (due today at midnight)…awesome. I was looking forward to a night of chick flicks, youtube videos, and skyping, but unfortunately I had to bide my time by actually packing for my trip and (GASP) reading ahead for my excursion.

We met at our bus (a Mercedes-Bez bus may I add; I love Europe all the taxis are nicer than my Kia Krusher…which I miss terribly) at around 9:00 and much to our driver’s and Madame’s surprise, all 12 of the students were there at 9:05. We started our on our five hour bus ride, only stopping twice (Mom would have died), and arrived at Chateau de Chambord around 3:15. We had two hours at the beautiful chateau that was built for Francois I, even though he spent 72 days of his 32 year reign there. It was designed by Da Vinci, and inside thre is a double helix staircase that has two separate concentric staircases rotating around a hollow column. You can see the other people who are walking up the other set of stairs but you never pass them and the cases never intersect. It’s kind of hard to explain/imagine but it’s a math major’s dream.

It’s amazing to see the transition of architecture throughout France’s history. In just one month I’ve seen the ruins of Roman gladiator stadiums, medieval gothic cathedrals and bubonic plague cemeteries, and now I’ve spent my day walking through the home of Marie Antoinette’s great grandfather. They are so extravagant they make the Larchmont McMansions look like playmobile houses. Although, this chateaux is NOTHING compared to what we will see at Versailles.

We arrived in Tours tonight where I finally got internet! We had a group dinner and are about to watch a movie and go to sleep. I’m looking forward to a lax week in Tours and then a free week in Paris.

I’ll be sure to write again tomorrow.

Bisous

Caro