scattered showers...sounds like home

since we left the Var and went north it seems like all hell broke loose.  rain has washed out much of the south of france.  so we are in Nevers or near there tonight and headed through the loire valley for the next few days.  tonight we're on a farm.  i think we plan to get going early.  we spent one after noon in Orange looking at it's famous roman ruins.  one of the many "theaters" the romans left behind.

on the way through avignon we stopped at the IKEA.  cheap food, toilets and fun looking at what they have.  the long drive to Lyon was going fairly smoothly but we decided to get on the highway and go faster....20 KPH for 30 kilometers!  Lyon is a great city but oh my god the number on one way streets is beyond comprehension.  we finally found our hotel by Part Dieu the large shopping center.  we even had parking and we got it thru COSTCO!  1/2 of the normal fare.  easy to use metro so we got a 1day pass for about 7$.  roman ruins, old churches and 2 rivers to walk along.    really pretty.  went to an antique flea market on sunday morning.  they say over 400 venders.  lots of junk some great but all with high price tags.  carla spent the time sleeping in the car across from a gyspy camp area.  the french think about gypsies the same as i learned as a kid.

today we went to Vichy to see where the collaberation french government held court during WWII.  it is a very pretty city with thermal sulphur baths.  i even tasted the water.  carla declined the city's generosity.

so this takes us to Nevers.  we had wanted to go to a chateau that is being built nearby.  they are using all traditional 15th century techniques.  too late so we're looking at nevers.  it is pretty over lookign the loire river.

if there at*re too many errors pardonnez.  they have wacky keyboards.

 carla made fun of me on my last trip because we went to mc donalds....well she has changed her tune.  tiolets and cheap coffee have had their universal  effects.  for regina it was toilets and real coke!  for me it' all about toilets and parking so we can eat!

on to the chateau's of the loire!