Burgundy...

  We are in jimmies happy place. Burgundy France. The best wines in the world planted  over a thousand years ago by the monks are divided into four regions. They produce only Chardonnay and Pinot noir. Mid evil old stone walls separate the vineyards into clos. We visited one of the wine makers Jimmie sells for and tasted the first day we arrived. These monks knew there business.  Jimmie enjoys learning all the details, I just like drinking the details. 

   Beaune is where we are staying two nights. It's a charming village with many choices of cafes and boulangeries and wine shops where you can taste. The first night scott and shauna  came with us and we ate at a very traditional French restaurant. I couldn't understand the menu because it was all in French so I decided to order off the set menu which is basically a choice from three starters a choice of meat or fish and a choice for dessert. The first choice was a tartine of organ meats...ewe... Or beef carpaccio ..beef that is raw...ewe.. I'll go with the salad.  When it arrived it was a delicate green salad surrounded by many large brown pieces of something. Big mushrooms? Steak? I reluctantly bite into the squishy firm thing... Chicken liver!!! Ewe EWE EWE! I  HATE liver of any kind. Ever since I was a kid I hate liver. I remember my dad making liver and onions once and I refused to eat it so I had to sit at the table staring at the ugly piece of flesh that I believe filters all the nasty stuff inside another living thing while all the other kids ate buttery popcorn in the living room. I could never bring myself to eat it. It taste to me like a dirty sink rag , I tried to swallow the chicken liver in the fancy little resteraunt and it nearly climbed back out of my throat. For someone who enjoys food as much as I do,I just cant bring myself to swallow things I really don't like. The place was very small, only ten tables or so and the owner was waiting on us. I felt like that little kid stuck at the table. I wanted dessert and I was afraid they wouldn't let me have it if I didn't clean my plate and I really didn't want to hurt their feelings. I reached in my purse and found a small paper bag. I figured I would use my old tactic from when I was a kid and carefully sneak the livers in the bag then into my purse and dump them later. Jimmîe caught me and refused to let me do that. So I put some on everyone's plate to make it look like I ate more than I did. Another old trick from child hood. That's enough fancy French food for me. We ate Italian the next night.

    I worked up an appetite after riding 20 miles through the vineyards. This of course was jimmies idea and because he loves it here so much I wanted to go along with him. The beginning of the trail was breathtakingly beautiful. The bike path was surprisingly quiet and we only passed a few cyclists. Every now and then we would see someone working in the vineyard and I would say bonjour. At one point four people were bent down tending the vines and everyone of them stopped and popped their heads up to return the friendly Bon jour. I love French people. They really are so gracious and kind. 

   We pedaled through four villages. I loved the hills. Going down them that is. We really had a great time until the ride home when I realized how far we had gone and Jimmie was in a hurry because he wanted to visit a wine tasting cave. I was pedaling my life away. I am sure we pedaled to Poland and back. Why don't they make a bigger more comfy seat on a bike? 

   I feel like I spend half my time chasing Jimmie and the the other half waiting for him. But the moments he stands beside me make it all worthwhile, there is no one in the world I'd rather travel with or experience life with. Now if he would just stop trying to kill me on these darn bikes. 

   We're off the see monets garden today then Paris tomorrow the next day home to see my little men.