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A 25-day adventure by Olddustyboots.com Read more
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  • Olddustyboots.comOlddustyboots.comBelgium, France and Holland

    Loire Valley - Chateau de Chenonceau

    April 25, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    This castle was first built by the King Henry II's mistress, Diane de Poitiers and upon his death, the Queen, Catherine de Medici, took over the palace and continued its development. This Chateau is known as the women's castle and its ornate style and beautiful gardens show a feminine touch.
    When the reign of terror swept the country after the French Revolution, this castle was spared due to the way its owners treated the people in this region.
    So the rooms of the Chateau boast beautiful tapestries, ornate furnishings and wonderful art. We were given a couple of hours to visit this building and the gardens, and still were rushed!    Read more

  • Olddustyboots.comOlddustyboots.comBelgium, France and Holland

    Chateau de Chenonceau gardens

    April 25, 2023 in France

    The gardens here were full of blooms of all colours surrounding perfectly manicured lawns and I could easily imagine the ladies of old in their long gowns strolling through these pathways. The limestone Chateau gleamed in the afternoon light and reflected in the river below its grand hall.
    One smaller building was covered in purple wisteria, making it seem like a romantic cottage out of a fairy tale. Everywhere we looked another beautiful building or garden dazzled us.
    On our way to the gate, we took the time to try our luck in the Chateau labrinth. In the centre of this maze, we stood in small gazebo covered with intertwining vines while we watched some families chasing young children through the twisting paths. Their laughter was infectious and raised our spirits as we headed back to our bus.    Read more

  • Olddustyboots.comOlddustyboots.comBelgium, France and Holland

    Chambord Chateau

    April 26, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Chambord Chateau, the largest Chateau in the Loire Valley, was a hunting lodge of King Francis I. It is definitely masculine as it is sturdy and practical, with its decor leaning towards hunting motifs and stag heads mounted on walls.
    Apparently Francis I wanted to be the King of all Europe and built this Chateau in deference to the title and power he'd have once he was voted in. But there was fear of giving any one monarch complete power, so he failed to get the votes necessary. At least he got the fancy hunting lodge!
    Unlike the Chateau from yesterday, this one did not fare well during the Reign of Terror and many of its rooms were empty. But the rooms that were furnished, were lavish and we saw that the King's bedroom came with two beds. The larger, fancier one was for his Highness, while his manservant had a smaller bed in the corner of the room. I guess you never know when you might need some assistance during the night...
    This Chateau had sweeping stone staircases that took us right up to the roof where we looked out on the gardens and lands of the castle. A shepherd and his dog rounded up a herd of sheep down below just as sheep have been herded here for centuries.
    A lot of restoration is underway at this Chateau, so scaffolding was present on almost every tower, but we enjoyed our quick visit there anyway.    Read more

  • Olddustyboots.comOlddustyboots.comBelgium, France and Holland

    Musee d'Orsay, Paris

    April 26, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    We arrived back in Paris around 1:30 pm and found that our hotel room was not ready. We were able to store our bags in our friends' room and then we caught the RER train to the Musee d'Orsay. This museum used to be the main railway station of Paris, but when the city outgrew the size of this building, it experienced several reincarnations such as being used in the war, and later to help homeless people. Finally it found its niche as a museum for impressionist art.
    The building still has its curved, glass roof and it sports two huge glass clocks on its facade that looks out onto the Seine.
    I took Doug to see the clocks first because they're a photographer's dream. Taking pictures of the clocks with the light and the cityscapes peaking through was so much fun!
    Then we wandered through galleries of paintings and sculptures, pausing to look at ones that evoked emotion or caught our eye. I enjoyed seeing paintings that I had learned about in Mrs. Little's French class in the Hartney Collegiate Institute I attended as a teenager. Then, I clipped stories of the French artists and their paintings out of the Reader's Digest for assignments from French class. Now I stood mere inches away from them! I wonder if Mrs. Little knew the impact she made on my life?
    Almost two hours later, we agreed that our "art compartments" were full and we headed out to get some fresh air while we processed the stories that these artists, including Degas, Money, Manet, Van Gogh and Renoir recorded so long ago.    Read more

  • Olddustyboots.comOlddustyboots.comBelgium, France and Holland

    Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

    April 26, 2023 in France

    Across from the Musee d'Orsay stretch the Jardin des Tuileries from the Place de la Concorde right up to the Louvre. These gardens would have been created for the pleasure of the Royal families, but now they're open to the public for all to enjoy.
    We strolled past the animal statues in front of the Musee d'Orsay, around the roasted chestnut salesman, across the arched bridge and into the famous gardens.
    Sculptures are surrounded by trees, grass, bushes and flowers, with wide gravel pathways dividing the gardens into a series of squares.
    Rather than try to see the entire garden, we chose to get a seat at an outdoor cafe where we could nibble on a deconstructed bruschetta while we absorbed the peaceful tranquility. The afternoon was a perfect temperature for patio time, and the daffodils beside us were a good reminder that we were completing our Spring Tulip cruise.    Read more

  • Olddustyboots.comOlddustyboots.comBelgium, France and Holland

    Farewell Dinner

    April 26, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    This is our last night in Paris and to celebrate, our tour director, Simeon, had made a reservation at L'Escarmouche, a bistro near the Pantheon on the Left Bank. The RER train whisked us to the Notre Dame - St. Michel station, and using Google maps, Doug and I walked to our restaurant.
    The dining room was in the cellar which lent a special air to our gathering and our meal was serenaded by two musicians playing an accordion and a guitar. Doug said it was just like on Lady and the Tramp, although we didn't have spaghetti.
    Onion soup, escargots, prawns, cod, chocolate lava cake and profiteroles and dinner was complete. Under the watchful eye of the glowing Eiffel tower, we said goodbye to our fellow travelers, each heading on to their next adventures in life like we are
    What a way to spend our last hours in la belle Paris!
    April 27th 09:30 am - It's only taken several taxi rides and almost a month, but we succeeded in getting a taxi to the Charles de Gaulle airport on a flat rate. My French helped a lot and we weren't the same gullible tourists who arrived here on April 4th. We navigated the airport with finesse, and started our journey to home sweet home.

    What has this experience taught us? That there are so many wonderful people in the world and so much beauty waiting to be discovered. But we also have so many wonderful people in our personal world made up of family and friends, and this is what makes home the best place on earth! We can't wait to reconnect with all our loved ones!    Read more

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