My last post suggested that we are not intensely interested in the fate of the United States. Nothing could be further than the truth. The New York Times is keeping us up-to-date. We watched PBS’s Washington Week in Review not long after it aired to hear the interview of Bob Woodward. We are not alone. His bookk “Fear” about the Trump catastrophe is the number one selling book in Europe right not. Claudia bought the audio version on line but I can’t imagine it helping her get a good night’s rest.
But tomorrow we board the TGV to Bordeaux after sampling several fine samples of the wine of the Loire and Tourine. Here is what I put into Facebook about our eleventh day with a couple of the pics. We’ve started the second third of our trip now.
FROM FACEBOOK ON DAY ONZE:
After Chenonceaux we had modest plans today. We wanted to visit Leonardo Da Vinci’s last home in Amboise 5 miles away on the Loire. Its a modest home by chateau standards but Da Vinci loved it and the grounds for the last 3 years of his life. The vegetarian died at 67 a good age back then…I’m 67.
I am sure I have heard that he died in France venerated by the first King Francis but there is nothing like travel to impress such a point into your memory banks. Leonardo seems to have dedicated his final years to invention and science. His marvelous inventions are all over the park grounds and kept us happy for several hours.
Da Vinci loved waking up to see the home of his last benefactor out the window. It was a short walk and we had time for one more chateau, the Royal Chateau.
I will leave you with my pics of the day and one factoid. King Francis ruled for over 11,000 days. But he lived in an age where Kings kept on the move between battles and long stays at the chateaux of the aristocracy. He was away from Amboise for over 8,000 of his 11,000 day reign.
