September 2 -- morning in Tours

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We ate our breakfast on a bench by the Loire, with this to look at.

(that is one WIDE river!  no wonder it is such a significant north/south barrier!)

We had hunted out a pastry shop recommended in the guidebooks.  A local specialty is prunes.  We got a pain au chocolat, and a chausson aux pruneaux.  (same pastry; different shapes)

Wrapped up and given the typical French baker's twist.

This was the pain au chocolat. It was yummy.  I always think, though, that I'd rather have 1/4 as much pastry and 4 times as much chocolate.....  (We felt the same way about the prunes; less pastry, more filling, please. We know that's not the traditional way, but it would be our preference.....)

Once we were done, we had a good look at the river.

Hmmm.  A Really Old (or made to look really old?) boat.  With great big enormous dragonflies.  The boat looked like it was the size such a boat might really have been, so you can tell the dragonflies are as big as a person.

One of the piers holding up the bridge in the first shot.

I was amused that this Very Old boat is being moved -- by a crane, onto a truck.

Then I noticed this.....

Walking away from the river. Textures underfoot.

Quiet street, with fancy light.

We wandered into this old square, and spent some time looking at post cards.

We found postcards with this very square on them!

We had our coffee here, and spent a bit of time writing postcards.

Then we wandered around a bit more.

I didn't notice until I was processing the pics for this post that this is a faux half-timbered house.  Not only are the bricks way too even to be original, but the wood is applied on top of the bricks. 

We wandered through an alley, and found this open space.

Those openings, bottom right, were tombs, 1500 years ago......  (there was an explanatory sign....)

Some of these dwellings are in very old structures.  Some of the structures are much newer.

This one is for rent.

Wouldn't you love to know all the stories of what has been here, when?

This black staircase looks very Germanic to me. It's a surprise to see it with a palm tree!

Evidence of the people we have to thank for all of this being maintained so it's still here so we can see it!

My daughter's take on this lovely day can be seen here.

To facilitate chronological traverse of these France posts, here is a link to my next post.

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