Day 7
A little foggy and cloudy when we awoke, but it cleared as the day progressed.
After a light breakfast, we packed a picnic lunch and headed to Martel. Got to town just after 12 and tried to buy our tickets for the tourist train, but it was closed.
So we took our picnic lunch a couple of miles out of town and enjoyed it on a country lane. Bananas, eggs, cheese sandwiches. Dave and Kristen found some blackberry bushes and enjoyed a couple of handfuls.
After a light breakfast, we packed a picnic lunch and headed to Martel. Got to town just after 12 and tried to buy our tickets for the tourist train, but it was closed.
So we took our picnic lunch a couple of miles out of town and enjoyed it on a country lane. Bananas, eggs, cheese sandwiches. Dave and Kristen found some blackberry bushes and enjoyed a couple of handfuls.
Went back to the town to catch the 2:30 train, fortunately with plenty of time to spare. Fortunately, because the brochure was wrong and the train left at 2 instead. We were just about the last to board, which was unfortunate because we didn’t have seats.
At least Kristen had a good time, but it was kind of a rip-off (3 for 23€), and didn’t provide much better views than in a car. At least in your car you can clean the windows and you’re not trapped with smelly Frenchmen!
Before and after the train we walked around Martel – very photogenic and I took some black and white photos I hope to blow up for the family room.
At least Kristen had a good time, but it was kind of a rip-off (3 for 23€), and didn’t provide much better views than in a car. At least in your car you can clean the windows and you’re not trapped with smelly Frenchmen!
Before and after the train we walked around Martel – very photogenic and I took some black and white photos I hope to blow up for the family room.
I'm telling you, there's always one ass per trip!
Then on to Souillac where we went to the robot museum - all toy robots, mostly 75 – 150 years old. Some pretty funny, and many still working. My favorite was the fat guy doing a belly laugh.
We were going to drive around the middle Dordogne valley, but by this time we were tired and it was after 6. Plus, we had promised Kristen a toy, so we headed home.
I was going to suggest we go for a “Pizza a Emporter” in St. Céré (there are several around now, one before). We stopped at LeClerc for Kristen’s toy, and what was in the parking lot but the pizza truck from 4 years ago! So we ordered 3 pies and brought them home, with Kristen’s new Zoo Animals, for dinner.
A bottle of Corbieres, pizza, a hot air balloon in the distance, and Louis Armstrong on the radio singing “When You’re Smiling, the Whole World Smiles with You”. A pretty good ending to a pretty good day.
P.S. We’ve seen more wildlife on this trip than before. On the way to dinner the other night, a small deer with straight horns, that completely panicked when it saw our car. A mouse running across the road in the dark on the way home last night, followed shortly thereafter by an owl in our headlights. Several hawks. Large trout by the Pont Valentré. Even a rabbit. The rabbit and deer are practically endangered species here, there is so much hunting , or chasse.
Day 8 >>>
We were going to drive around the middle Dordogne valley, but by this time we were tired and it was after 6. Plus, we had promised Kristen a toy, so we headed home.
I was going to suggest we go for a “Pizza a Emporter” in St. Céré (there are several around now, one before). We stopped at LeClerc for Kristen’s toy, and what was in the parking lot but the pizza truck from 4 years ago! So we ordered 3 pies and brought them home, with Kristen’s new Zoo Animals, for dinner.
A bottle of Corbieres, pizza, a hot air balloon in the distance, and Louis Armstrong on the radio singing “When You’re Smiling, the Whole World Smiles with You”. A pretty good ending to a pretty good day.
P.S. We’ve seen more wildlife on this trip than before. On the way to dinner the other night, a small deer with straight horns, that completely panicked when it saw our car. A mouse running across the road in the dark on the way home last night, followed shortly thereafter by an owl in our headlights. Several hawks. Large trout by the Pont Valentré. Even a rabbit. The rabbit and deer are practically endangered species here, there is so much hunting , or chasse.
Day 8 >>>
