I have arrived safely in the Dordogne Valley and I know see why the french are so proud. This countryside is beyond anything i have ever seen. There is a castle on each swell of the land more beautiful then the last, winding rivers with cafes perched on limestone cliffs, corn fields we think to fatten the ducks and geese, I have thousands of pictures but dont have my cable so i will post at a later date, i hope.
Our flight to Limoge was cancelled after 4 hours in the airport but we landed in a tiny town grabbed our car and headed into the sunset, literally. Our fearless driver Tom has only killed the car 10 or 11 times thus far with explitives i refuse to reiterate, thank god for the old ipod. we stayed in a farm that specializes in foie gras and i dont think there is a more magnificant product on the market…maybe truffles but this is a tie for first. the family is generous and speak no english but boy can they cook! i feel like our hotel is something out of a movie set. it is so spotlessly clean and charming. Our dinners have been fresh from the garden and compare to the finest meals i have had, beautiful soups of fava bean or tomato, foie gras wrapped in pate from their own ducks and piggies, veal cutlets in port reduction, fresh salads, piles of cheese and walnut bread…that was one meal. i think i shall gain severql proud pounds of duck fat and have indigestion for the rest of my life but i really dont care…yet.Yesterday we went into the Bordeaux area for wine tasting and a visit to the town of st emilion. This place has a moat and the largest church in the world carved into the side of a limestone rock. it is so old feeling, you can almost taste it. the french revolution lopped the heads off of all the statues! god i love history!
today we are in sarlot, a medieval city also surrounded by a wall with a moat. it is market day and the tastes of fresh peche liquoir, sausages, wheels of cheese stuffed with walnuts, ahhhhh so lovely. i love the french, they are so warm and welcoming. i LOVE trying my french out on them and they are very patient with me, much more so then italy. i never thought i would find a place i am already craving to return to…i want to crawl inside the earth here and qbsorb it for about 50 years.
until next time Auvoir mes amis
