June 24, 2012
Today we went for a bike
ride! We travelled approximately 26km north to a Chateau where we had a picnic
and toured the Chateau. It was a beautiful day and I was very excited for such
a leisurely, yet engaging activity.
I woke up a slightly early to
go to the bakery in the morning with some of the other students to get a quick
coffee and bread for our picnic. Why didn’t I go to the bakery every morning?
No. Why didn’t I live in the bakery? This place smelled like heaven. The baker
was shaping baguette after baguette to be put into the oven after taking
several out. the walls and display cases were filled with pastries and fresh
loaves of all different shapes and sizes.
Upon checkout, I decided to
purchase a small French donut—the equivalent of what looked like a munchkin. We
took a seat outside with our coffees and I bit into my donut. This is exactly
why I DON’T live at the bakery. I think I died, this thing was glorious. The
small donut was rolled in sugar, and what oozed from the center wasn’t any
syrupy, or waxy pudding-like substance which can be found inside American
donuts. No, what oozed from the center was real, luscious milk chocolate. How
do these not exist in America? Who’s responsible to ruling out the sinfully
delicious cheeses, ice cream, and now donuts, too? It’s really probably a good
thing I don’t have regular access to those little nuggets of bliss.
After coming back down to the
streets of Cluny from my brief stay in heaven, we finished our coffees and
headed back to the hostel to divide up the picnic supplies for our bike ride.
Originally, I had the cheese bag in my backpack, which had the dreadful
potential on a warm afternoon to leave the lingering smell of cheese as a
souvenir for my backpack. Luckily, though, we were able to acquire cargo
baskets for our bicycles. And we were off!
The bikeride was beautiful.
We passed through several farms and saw field after field of grazing white
(Charolay) beef cattle. After about an hour ride, around 12pm, we arrived at
the picnic site just outside the town where the chateau was located. Once
again, by means of a great deal of leftovers from yesterday’s picnic feast, we
enjoyed a delicious picnic including a few more cucumber, tomato, avocado
lettuce wraps, a very tasty baguette from the bakery that morning, white
peaches and cherries. For cheeses we had an aged goat cheese (which always
seems to go to quickly) boquefort, and the emmental and citoux which seem to be
never ending. We also had some leftover cranberry cheese and herb cheese from
the Fromagerie Delin which we’d visited on Friday. That is, until I clumsily
knocked the herb cheese onto the ground.
We finished up 2 bottles of
wine and our picnic around 1:35, and we headed into town. Unfortunately, we
were within that 2 hour window during which everything in town closes for
lunch, including the Chateau. So to kill a bit of time, we popped into a café
for some espressos and to refuel our dessert stomachs. Also in the café, I came
across what looked like a candy dispenser, with little 2 ounce cans. But the
cans weren’t candy, some were peanuts, some mixed, others olives! I couldn’t
resist buying one.
 |
| I wasn't kidding about the moat. |
After our coffee/dessert
break we headed into the Chateau. Walking to the entry we crossed a moat which
surrounded the Chateau. A real moat?! Hello, fairytale!
Our tour guide, who
spoke French, provided us with typed guides in English. The Chateau was
beautiful and incredibly ornate. Even the ceilings were intricately decorated
with carvings and paintings. This was a clear reflection of the tremendous
wealth of the original family that lived there.
 |
| Living the life. |
On top of the building I
noted a giant nest in which sat 2 tremendous birds (storks maybe?). Those
animals had it made! If I were a bird, I’d totally post up at a chateau or castle.
Why not?
We next toured the gardens
located just over the moat on the right side of the Chateau. Our walk around
the gardens ended in a brief nap in the gardens surrounded by rose bushes,
lavender, and the carved bushes of various plump little animals.
Around 5pm we awoke from our
slumber and realized that one of the keys to the bike locks was missing.
Together, we search the grounds of the garden and the Chateau, but came up
empty handed. As it turned out, one of the chateau guides had the key in his
pocket the entire time! Luckily we retrieved it from him and departed for our
bike ride back to Cluny. The return went by much more quickly than the
morning’s ride.
We had dinner tonight at
Brasserie du Nord (where I’d had the unfortunate meat experience during our
first lunch). Well, this restaurant seems to always put me at a loss as a
lactose-intolerant vegetarian. Seemingly every dish on the menu is entirely
cheese or graced by meat of some kind. The past two times I’d been here, I
resorted to just telling the server I was vegetarian and that I’d be happy with
anything the chef sent me. Unfortunately, I arrived at dinner this night
slightly later than the rest of the group and was left with very little time to
find something I could eat on the menu. Exhausted from the long day, I once
more told the server I was vegetarian but would eat fish, and would be
satisfied with anything. After rolling his eyes at the vegetarian comment, he
nodded and left our table. Well, at that rate, I had no idea what I was going
to receive as my meal.
I really should tell them to
send me anything tasty that I can eat more often. What was soon delivered to me
was a plate of pan-seared salmon dressed with a creamy seafood sauce, a small
bowl of wild rice, and a light green salad with walnuts and the French Dijon
vinaigrette that I can’t get enough of. I really couldn’t have asked for
something better.
Sufficiently full, I once
again made my way to the bar for yet another Eurocup game. Tonight, it was
England versus Italy (my ancestry!). I was initially disappointed when I
arrived at the 90 minute mark, which would technically be the end of the game.
However, I next made note of the score which was zero-zero! I was just in time
for overtime. This is when it gets intense. Just five minutes before the end of
overtime, Italy scored! Except it didn’t count. So the game went on to penalty
kicks. Now, here, this is where watching becomes unbearably nerve-wracking.
But, alas, just as in the 2006 World Cup, Italy claimed victory over penalty
kicks. Viva Italia! Wednesday will be the Spain-Portugal, and I can’t wait!
- Adrianne Speranza
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