Made Amboise

It was a breeze to get here.  Jeeves came though again!  We've pretty much learned how to use the French toll roads which are great.  I'm convinced toll roads are the way to go for smooth and quiet highways.  It's a rude awakening for those in the northwest (back east it's just an accepted fact of life) but I really don't see alternatives w/o significantly raising taxes.

Only funny incident: we were going through an automated toll booth and the toll was like 3.10 euros.  Smallest we had was a 20 euro bill.  So I put it in and out comes 16.90 euro in coins.  I guess the machines can't dispense paper bills.  For future reference in this story the euro coins have about twice the weight of American coins.  I'm at the automated booth trying to scoop out about 30 coins.  Had to open the door because the return change slot is about a foot off the road. Fortunately there wasn't any line behind me.  I gathered my handfuls of coins and passed them to Carolyn.  Without thinking about it she put them in her purse.  We get to Amboise and decide to walk around town a bit (a brief side trip to this story: Amboise is where Leonardo Di Vinci retired).  Carolyn starts complaining that her purse strap is cutting into her shoulder and then we realize what's happening.  She has (and I'm not exaggerating) two pounds of coins in her purse.  We got an ice cream cone and paid in nickels which not only remedied the purse strap issue but raised our spirits as well.

We're staying in a great B&B (Au Charme Rabelaisien).  Our room is HUGE and parking and breakfast (well the French version of said meal) are included.  I'll post some pictures later (I'm too lazy to download them from the camera).