Chinon
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Dustin, Lisa and I decided we wanted to go on one last excursion before going home. Chinon was among the cheapest and most convenient options so we opted to go there.
At the train station, we only had about 20 minutes until our train left, and the line was long. Our train was leaving at 2:08, and it was 1:45. We waited in line until 1:55, and there were still about 12 people ahead of us. We gave away our ticket and used the automatic ticket thingy's instead. But those machines don't give you the same discounts as on line or at the ticket counter. What was supposed to cost about 10 euros, on those machines, was going to cost 30. Being poor students and in a hurry, we bagged that idea. Instead, we found an employee and asked if we could just buy tickets on the train. He said yes, so we jumped on the train just before the doors closed.
We intended to buy tickets from the guy who checks tickets on the train ride, but that guy never came. 5 stops later we arrived at Chinon, for free.
The two kilometer walk to Chinon led us through yet another french town (cute but no longer that exciting), past a monument to Jeanne d'Arc, and up the steepest old french hill I'd climbed. My legs were not very happy with me for putting them through that climb.
Once we reached the top we had faim, so we found a cafe and got dejeuner. I had pizza, and not to seem uncouth to the french people there, I ate it with a fork and knife. That still seems so wrong to me; pizza is finger food. After lunch, it was Chateau time.
Chinon is one of the oldest of French chateau's. It is the place where Joan of Arc first met the French king Charles VII. She lived there for a short time as well. Unlike other French Chateaux, Chinon has not been restored. Many of the walls have been reduced to rubble. Almost all of the towers are missing their top few floors. Certainly, much of the damage to the structure was done by the British in the Hundred Years War, and whatever other wars came by as well. What I love about this history stuff is that now I can honestly say, "I have stood in the room in which Joan of Arc recognized Charles VII in a crowd". That's so cool.
Inside one of the towers, Dustin, Lisa, and I found a perfect window sill for a group photo. We got this old French tourist couple to take our pictures on the ruins. After taking our pictures, the woman gently reminded us of the signs posted all over "Il est interdit de monter les ramparts" or something like that. We knew that, of course, but no one was around. I put my finger over my lips and said "shhhhh, it's our secret". And they kept it.
On the way back to the Gare, Dustin and Lisa decided we should try to ride home for free too. I was surprised that the Return Missionary would even consider doing something so dishonest. But, sinner that I am, I went along with their plan. Once again, no one came by to check tickets, so we got to travel for free. Yeah, free stuff is the best kind of stuff!
Dustin, Lisa and I decided we wanted to go on one last excursion before going home. Chinon was among the cheapest and most convenient options so we opted to go there.
At the train station, we only had about 20 minutes until our train left, and the line was long. Our train was leaving at 2:08, and it was 1:45. We waited in line until 1:55, and there were still about 12 people ahead of us. We gave away our ticket and used the automatic ticket thingy's instead. But those machines don't give you the same discounts as on line or at the ticket counter. What was supposed to cost about 10 euros, on those machines, was going to cost 30. Being poor students and in a hurry, we bagged that idea. Instead, we found an employee and asked if we could just buy tickets on the train. He said yes, so we jumped on the train just before the doors closed.
We intended to buy tickets from the guy who checks tickets on the train ride, but that guy never came. 5 stops later we arrived at Chinon, for free.
The two kilometer walk to Chinon led us through yet another french town (cute but no longer that exciting), past a monument to Jeanne d'Arc, and up the steepest old french hill I'd climbed. My legs were not very happy with me for putting them through that climb.
Once we reached the top we had faim, so we found a cafe and got dejeuner. I had pizza, and not to seem uncouth to the french people there, I ate it with a fork and knife. That still seems so wrong to me; pizza is finger food. After lunch, it was Chateau time.
Chinon is one of the oldest of French chateau's. It is the place where Joan of Arc first met the French king Charles VII. She lived there for a short time as well. Unlike other French Chateaux, Chinon has not been restored. Many of the walls have been reduced to rubble. Almost all of the towers are missing their top few floors. Certainly, much of the damage to the structure was done by the British in the Hundred Years War, and whatever other wars came by as well. What I love about this history stuff is that now I can honestly say, "I have stood in the room in which Joan of Arc recognized Charles VII in a crowd". That's so cool.
Inside one of the towers, Dustin, Lisa, and I found a perfect window sill for a group photo. We got this old French tourist couple to take our pictures on the ruins. After taking our pictures, the woman gently reminded us of the signs posted all over "Il est interdit de monter les ramparts" or something like that. We knew that, of course, but no one was around. I put my finger over my lips and said "shhhhh, it's our secret". And they kept it.
On the way back to the Gare, Dustin and Lisa decided we should try to ride home for free too. I was surprised that the Return Missionary would even consider doing something so dishonest. But, sinner that I am, I went along with their plan. Once again, no one came by to check tickets, so we got to travel for free. Yeah, free stuff is the best kind of stuff!