1) This photo is especially for George. It's hunting season here and because Frank & Rita give permission for hunters to hunt on their land they are rewarded with part of the kill. Rita is holding yesterday's delivery of the rear haunch of a deer. In case you're wondering these deer are much smaller than we're used to in the states - only about 4 feet high.2) Pat & I found buried in her guide book a reference to a flour mill that has been in operation since the late 1200's (that is NOT an error in typing either). The next time you're near Cales, it's well worth a side trip.
3) The owner explaining how it works.
4) The flour "sifter" sorting the flour into different areas of fineness.
5) And, he saves the best for last, the upstairs where people have lived for centuries. It looked like he still does too as it had a modern stove and washing machine behind where I took the photo. He's showing us how folks used to use the walk-in fireplace. Also notice the bottle and small glasses on the table. Other than a wine tour, I think this is the first tour where I've ever been served a sample of the local brew. This one happened to be plum alcohol that you consumed with sugar cubes. You could also crack and eat some of their local walnuts if you were so inclined. (Bob had two shots of the plum liquor and treated us all to lunch. I looked in the grocery to see if I could find more of that liquor, but no luck - or perhaps it's Bob that's lucky...)
6) Parking - Yes it was under a cliff and more or less in the road, not that it mattered. Believe me, we were the only traffic there abouts.
7) John, Judy & Bob with Rocamadour, the cliff village, in the distance on the left. We chose to just view rather than walk dooooooown and uuuuuuuuup. Besides, it really is very touristy.
8) The entrance to Gouffre de Padriac, a huge cave that has a river running through it. That speck you see on the path down there is actually a person. For once this French site had a series of 3 elevators that take you down to the opening. Then (after going down a few more stairs) they take you by boat on the river deep into the cave where another guide takes you by foot deeper into the cave. It really is huge and has beautiful formations. Then, surprise!, it's up 150 steps (believe me we counted every one!) ooooh-ing and aaaaah-ing and hufffffffing and pufffffffing over stalactites & ...mites until we came down another 150 steps before arriving back to the boats for the return trip. Guess what? Those "few" steps we came down after getting off the elevator suddenly seemed to multiply but at least the elevators were still running.
9) In the cottage Pat, John & I are staying in, we also have a walk-in fireplace with, you guessed it, a clothesline!
Where is that red Corvette? Did Jeannette & Don see one in southern Missouri? And perhaps that really was a Corvette Beni & her friend saw in St. Louis heading toward the Arch...
