On our third day in Amboise we got up pretty early so we could rent bikes and ride around the countryside. We chose a path that was 40 km (about 25 miles) that went to Chenonceaux and then back. I was a little unsure because that’s more miles than I ever do in a typical way but I knew it was fairly flat and we had all day. As soon as we exited the city and were biking in the countryside I was so happy we were doing it. It was even more beautiful than I imagined and so peaceful. We passed a few bikers early on but for the most part we were on our own and it was glorious. It felt like the whole countryside was ours. Just how I like it.
Around noon we saw a great little spot along the river to stop and have lunch. We pulled out our picnic supplies and soaked in the scenery. After a nice break we rode along the river some more and through a couple of small towns. Just outside of Blere we were biking near the river when Walker said did you see that? I was like huh, what? When I realized what he must have meant I said you mean the camels? We just began laughing because we were not expecting that at all. After seeing a sign for a circus in town it all made much more sense. A bit farther down almost directly on the path we encountered another camel, a lama, a horse, a miniature horse, and a longhorn (hookem!). It was the most surprising moment of the ride.
We finally made it to Chenonceaux but chose not to visit the castle (perhaps we are regretting it now-pretty much everyone we met later that day went on about how beautiful it was). It really did make the most sense at the time and I honestly don’t regret it. It gave us the time to really enjoy the ride which was what we were wanting. I keep hearing people talk about slowing down and not jamming everything in and I think if we would have toured around we would have felt rushed the rest of the day. On the way back we stopped a few times for wine tasting and ended up with about 6 bottles of wine added to our bags (they were just so cheap!). Unfortunately both of our right knees started to hurt so the ride back was a bit painful. When we got back to town we picked up the rest of our stuff and biked a few miles out of town to our next airbnb-The Troglodyte Cave! They were super warm and welcoming and the room was quite romantic. And seriously after that day of biking a soak in the tub was just about the best thing next to sleep.
On our last day in Amboise it was a bit rainy and overcast but it sort of worked perfectly because we were still tired from our ambitious bike ride from the day before. We had breakfast served to us by our hosts and then we took a walk nearby to a viewpoint and vineyards. Originally we had planned to bike around again but our knees were still hurting and I really didn’t mind the slower pace and not really having a plan. After our walk we went out in search of a grocery store and laughed pretty hard when we realized I had taken us to a food distribution center. Google maps wasn’t working quite like I’m used to. Our mishap did lead us to finding a double decker bus serving pizza in the middle of an industrial area. It was bizarre to say the least but we did end up eating here 2 times mostly because it was cheap and easy. We had an early night since we’d be traveling the next day and enjoyed our last night in the cave. The overnight train and Lisbon is up next!
Amboise, France part 1
November 17, 2015
Early on the second day of our trip we awoke in Iceland and headed to the airport where we continued the rest of our journey to France. We flew into Paris and took the train into the city. Our train wasn’t supposed to be for a few hours but I saw an earlier train that I didn’t think we’d be able to catch. We did manage to get our tickets changed right before the train left and I was happy to be heading out hours ahead of schedule. This also meant we would arrive before dark which is always nice in a new place. It was only the beginning of the trip but I was already loving my time on the train. It was so nice to just doze off and get a short nap or read one of the e-books I downloaded on my phone. We arrived at the train station in Amboise and headed to our airbnb. Our hosts were out of town but the neighbors showed us around and got us settled in. We were also the only guests so it was kind of cool having the whole place to ourselves. On our first night we pretty much just walked around and got dinner before settling in for the night. Travel days take a lot out of me plus we were still adjusting to the new time-I think we were 9 hours off from Seattle.
The next day we decided to stick close to town and explore. We started out at the castle in town and got to see some pretty cool views of Amboise. We had a lot of fun just taking it all in and enjoying the history and beauty around us. We didn’t do a ton of research before the trip so we were both pretty surprised to find out that Leonardo Da Vinci is buried in the chapel inside the castle. Uh, what?! Pretty crazy.
After our morning at the castle we did a little wine tasting before getting food for lunch. We picked up a baguette before stopping at the cheese shop (something I had been so excited to do). We got a local goat cheese and some salami and then had a picnic lunch at our place. We took a short rest and then decided to check out Chateau du Clos Luce which is the last place Da Vinci lived. We toured the house then strolled around the grounds. It was really beautiful there especially with the leaves beginning to turn. On the way back we took our time taking pictures of the streets and the timbered houses. It was really lovely. We rested up until 7 when most places open for dinner but the few places we wanted to go to were closed. We weren’t having a lot of luck with restaurants. We ended up getting kabobs and eating them at our place while watching The Terminator. Not quite what I would have guessed but I really enjoyed it.
Iceland
November 16, 2015
In September I got married! I think I forgot to mention it here but if you’ve been following me on instagram (ohsoantsy) you probably saw a picture or 2. Last month we headed out on our 17 day honeymoon to France and Portugal with a layover in Iceland. I was a little nervous about being super tired but that exciting feeling of being in a new place ready to explore took over and we really enjoyed our 1 day in the city. We arrived pretty early in the morning and rented a car and drove in Keykjavik. Once we got a map and a little info we walked around and headed to the Hallgrimskirkja Church to get some views of the whole city. It was so beautiful up there and I was a little blown away. I remember looking out and saying to Walker, “We’re so lucky”.
After the church we headed over to the Kolaportid Market that’s open on Saturdays and Sundays and luckily we were there on a Sunday. I always love wandering around the local markets. We didn’t buy much since it was the beginning of the trip and we wanted to save room in our bags but we did purchase some incredibly tasty smoked salmon. It was cool to see the fermented shark we heard so much about but we did not try any-I know we were too chicken. Also near the market were the famous Icelandic hotdogs we kept reading about-Bæjarins. They were pretty tasty but we were also pretty hungry. Either way it was fun to try. By this time we were in need of a break. Our tiredness was beginning to catch up so we relaxed in a really cozy cafe with a couple of beers. It wasn’t sleep but it was the recharge we needed.
Once we decided we had seen as much of the city as we could we drove to an area near the water that looked as if it’s a natural heated pool during the summer. We saw it on the map and decided to explore. It wasn’t some big attraction but it was quiet and peaceful out there and these tend to be my favorite moments of a trip.
After a long flight, a super early morning, and a full day walking around sightseeing we were so ready to head to the Blue Lagoon and soak in some geothermal waters. It was a bit hectic checking in and getting changed-the locker rooms were full of people-but once we were in the water it was so worth it. I didn’t get any good pictures of us on the lagoon but it was kind of magical between the mist and rain, the ice blue color of the water, and of course being surrounded by such a beautiful landscape. To add to all that they had silica stations all around so you could slather it all over your face and make your skin look beautiful. For day one of the honeymoon it was pretty perfect.
After our lovely soak we checked into our Airbnb (located wonderfully close to the airport), did a quick grocery run so we could make dinner, tried one more time to see the northern lights when the sun went down, and finally went to sleep. Well Walker went to sleep anyhow. Despite being super tired it took me a bit longer. It must have been the combination of excitement, being in a new place, and most likely jet lag. I finally did drift off with thoughts of volcanoes and warm waters running through my head and of course all the French wine we’d soon be drinking.