Slow Road to the "Fast"

#Carcassonne#Castelnaudry#Toulouse

Today (Sunday, July 13th) is our last full day in France leaving behind the Medieval Cité of Carcassonne. 

We decided to take the slow road to the "Fast Hotel" located near the Toulouse -Blagnac Airport, where we will spend our last night and get rested to catch our flight home in the morning.

A stop in Castelnaudry found us strolling on the Canal du Midi ... a prelude to a glass of wine at The Grand Bar L'esprit Caffe.

We found a park bench to sit, chat and watch the going ons of a Sunday morning/ early afternoon in Castelnaudry...

Shipwrecked? What do you think the story is here? 

Here is the inquisitive Monsieur Honey doing a quick inspection ...

 

After our stroll along the Canal we walked the main boulevard viewing some interesting architectural details ... Such as these "His" and "Her" brackets.

                        

After a cool drink accompanied by some people watching at a sidewalk café, we continued our travels along the "sunflower" lined slow road to Toulouse.

We did make one stop for some photos ... This year I have not been able to get any pictures of the beautiful French wisterias and the poppy fields as we were in Spain when they were in flower. 

Here is a couple from our 2013 adventure ...

                   Wisteria in Sarlat ...

               

        

                   Poppies along the Lot River in Castlefranc ...

               

Monsieur Honey found an easy off/ easy on pull off from the road so that I could take my photographs of the bright smiling sunflower faces!

       

                   

   Tomorrow ... Home Sweet Home!

A Night with My Knight in Shining Armour!

#Carcassonne#L'ostaldestroubadours#Aude

We decided to make a return visit to Carcassonne.  

Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude Dept. of the Languedoc-Roussillon region.

The Cité de Carcassonne (the medieval fortress) was restored in 1853 by the architect Euegne Viollet-Le-Duc.

In 1997 it became an Unesco World Heritage Site and receives over three million visitors a year.

We arrived early afternoon and wandered thru the narrow cobblestoned lanes of the old city.

            

              

              Here is my knight in 2013 in Domme...

          

As it was July ... it was busy with many other visitors also checking out the sites and many shoppes that lined the streets ... that sell everything from tapestrys to the usual tourist souvenirs such as swords and shields for the children.

Sweet tasting treats to sweet smelling sachets ...

                    

                     

Oh my we found the same restaurant where we had a "Magic Night" in 2003!

We looked for it when we returned in 2005 and never found it  ... and left thinking it no longer was in operation! Part of the problem we didn't remember the name and we both had different ideas where in the old city it was located.

Fast forward to the internet and search for restaurants in Carcassonne ... and here we are!

Restaurant L'Ostal Des Troubadours 

5, rue Viollet Le Duc

La Cité 11000 Carcassonne 

Tele: 0468478880

Email: lostaldestroubadours@gmail.com

Still great ambiance, live gypsy / folk music and great food and wine. 

Under new management since early this year by Shiona (previously a waitress at the same restaurant for 18 years).

The owner greeted us with a friendly smile and some chatter ... we told her our story of our "Magic Night" in 2003 ... the wonderful roasted chicken on the wood fire, great ambiance and the surprise of "live music" when the sweet voice of Manolita started to sing.

    Then ... "2003"...

    And now ... 

    Monsiuer Honey minus his beard ...

    but still with his killer "sparkling" Baby Blue eyes!

You can enjoy tasty grilled meats cooked over the open wood fire ... I chose a steak tonight that was served with grilled potatoes also prepared on the open fire. Delicious! 

Monsieur decided to have the Cassoulet which is a traditional dish of the region; he was not dissappointed . 

Our table had views from the window overlooking the Remparts, the walls encircle the medieval city.

(I didn't get any pics from the window sometimes you have to put the camera away and be in the moment).

Although there were no trumpets playing tonight this trumpet vine was in full bloom...

I have read that portions of the 1991 movie "Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves" was filmed in the old city.

Late in the evening the moon shone brightly over the old city ... views from our room.

          A "Fairy Tale" ending to our French adventure!

P.S. There still are a few more postcards to be posted.

Friday Night Fade ...

It's Friday night in Southwestern Ontario, we've been home for four days now and still suffering a bit from jet lag! 

If the theory or the "they says" are correct  we should be back to normal by Sunday night.

As the saying goes for every hour in time change it takes a day to recapture that hour!

Not too long ago Monsieur Honey said "I'm starting to fade."  

Life is quickly returning to normal or should I say we are getting back into our routine ... me with laundry, grocery shopping, house cleaning, etc. and Monsieur Honey has had to tackle the gardens or should I say the "Jungle" and the cutting of the lawn  ...

Not so much the weeds (we had a great neighbour who found time in his schedule to weed our gardens ... Thank you Mr. Carl) but the massive growth spurt, everything is so lush and supersized. 

It is always great to go on a vacation / adventure but it is always wonderful to come "Home"!

We will be catching up with our children and their families soon, oh how I have missed everyone especially the little ones "our eight grandchildren" and we will reconnect with the balance of the family and friends over the next few days.

It is only 7:22 pm ... and I am fading and feeling the need to get into bed, close my eyes and get a good night's sleep!

I still have many more "Postcards" to write and post ... will hopefully find the time and energy over the next few days to share the rest of the stories about our European adventure.