Paradise

Travel agents know that on every fourth day of a demanding trip one should take it easy. I adhered to that idea completely today. I had booked a massage for 10 a.m. What a way to start the day! After that, I had no desire to actually do anything. It was cloudy and rained off and on during the day. Like yesterday, I was lucky to have some clear spots to take walks. First, I walked up into the village which is on the mountian behind The Cottage where I am staying. It's the large building in the photo. It is beautifully located on the lake, and it might've been a hard walk up the hill except there's so much more oxygen here than I'm used to. Not much going on in the village; in fact, not much going on anywhere in Talloires. The tourists are all just strolling around enjoying the view. I had lunch and returned to my room for a nap. It had cleared again when I awoke, so I was outside for a walk along the lake shores. My hotel is located next to the well-known Auberge de Pere Bise. It has a 3-star Michelin restaurant. I checked out the posted menu which touted an 8-course menu degustation for 280 Euros. Maybe next time. This must be one of the most beautiful spots in the world! I'm told that Winston Churchill said that it was, so I believe it. It's cool, but I enjoyed a refreshing walk until a returning returning drizzle drove me back inside. My French is holding up, although I'm not able to sustain it for long. I talked to a couple from Amiens on the quai and did pretty well until I started focusing on their accents and my brain shut down. Oh well, that's what I'm here for -- to let my brain shut down. So now, I have a relaxing evening ahead, starting with writing this blog post, a hot bath in my huge soaker tub, and a pain au chocolate that I bought at a patisserie for dinner. I can't handle all these heavy meals. It's a hard life travelling, especiallly when you have to spend a day in paradise.