Saturday, June 15, 2013

Departing to Dallas via Toulouse & London

We packed our suitcases into the mini van and headed into Toulouse. We can't leave France without one last carousel ride! From our parking place we were surprised to come across a pride parade that closed down the streets the Toulouse with very extreme costumes. We decided to take a turn toward shopping instead of expose London to some of the interesting attire.


 Shopping at Galleries Lafayette I came across this cute container that I wish I knew how to get back home!

Our last carousel tickets of this trip!!


Love the spinning tea cup!



We spent our last evening in France at the airport hotel. We had researched the town of Blagnac which is close to the airport and where all the Airbus executives live. So, we took a car there for dinner. It was quite a quaint little suburb with great restaurants. We had a lovely dinner.




Mmmmm....Gazpacho



 After our night at the airport hotel we headed to the airport for our long journey home.

Checking into Toulouse Airport

Welcome to London

Sleepy Baby girl
Bienvenue a Dallas!! We FINALLY made it home!!! When we arrived Steve had his Father's Day present on the counter top and a big WELCOME HOME  from our Belle!




Friday, June 14, 2013

Packing Day at the Chateau

Well it's that sad time when the vacation is coming to an end and we are packing to head home. The Stricklands continued their vacation to Germany and it was time for us to pack to head home.








This is not helping me pack! haha


I'm sad to leave too, my little love.


Last bath in the fun tub and probably last bath with Perrier.
 Once the packing was completed it was time to relax at dinner. We decided to return to La Source for our final dinner and bring our last magnum of Pichon Longueville with us. Fortunately they were kind enough to let us bring our own wine.

My sassy traveler


Beautiful evening 






Our last magnum from the vineyard. What a nice note to depart on.


Silly girl


Must Have Tool

This is a suitcase weight tool.  It is a must have, stress reducer and cheap.  Adam and Rene had one of these.  We were not aware of the simplicity of avoiding packing mistakes and overloading a suitcase.  Picked it up today at Auchon.  We are packing and have already had to reallocate a few things.  Got it in the luggage section of the store.


Thursday, June 13, 2013

Lynch Bages & Lunch at 2 Star Michelin Cordeillan Bages

Today we headed to our Lynch Bages wine tour appointment with reservations for lunch at their restaurant Cordeillan Bages. We started with the other members of our tour in reception and then began our education. This vineyard is interesting because they have kept in place all of their 'old school' wine making rooms intact to explain how they used to make wine compared to how they make wine with modern technology today.


Today's technology








 

Yester-years technology 




And now the barrel room

Ok, ok, another barrel room.... how many have I seen in my 4 years???


Tasting time

Um, yes please

None for you
Once our tasting was over it was time to make way to their restaurant at Cordeillan Bages for our 2 star Michelin lunch (with 2 kiddos). Our reservation began 1:00 pm and it was quite an amazing experience that lasted until 4:30-5:00 as they were setting up for dinner service.


Beautiful flowers

I love that it began raining and London is in the doorway of the hotel/restaurant with an umbrella and the old fashioned bicycles out side.

Our lunch began with 'apertifs' in the sitting room before our lunch began. Fortunately the girls were included with sirop.



The adults enjoyed a champagne rose for our apertif along with some amazing amuse bouche.


If you ever wanted to know what a 2 star Michelin restaurant is like, let me just say it is a work of art. Not only is the food completely amazing but the presentation is beyond anything else.
Even the girls enjoyed the presentation of their food, especially the mouse-like dessert with house-made chocolate ears!
 

We were ok with our dessert too.
After our dessert it was time for post-dessert. Really?? How are people in France not obese? They brought out this post-dessert house-made cart of chocolates and chocolate-fig 'salami' for us to choose our preferences. Wow!
 

Lunch was simply amazing. We all (including the girls) were completely in awe and amazed with our 3.5 + hour lunch. Now it was time to drag ourselves back to the chateau. On the way we passed the LeClerc in Bordeaux. Hmmmmm, the wine selection in Villeneuve is quite amazing so I have to think that the LeClerc in Bordeaux wouldn't disappoint. Needless to say, I was blown away. This was the most amazing selection of the greatest wines in the world for the greatest prices compared to all the wine boutiques/shops we encountered across our travels. I would love for my cellar to look like this! If it did I might become a hermit and never leave home.  Quote of the trip from Adam when Steve said to him that the LeClerc was so big you couldn't see the other end......."You can't see the other side because the curvature of the earth has taken over"  Seriously, the store was that big.











Only LeClerc would offer a carousel in the store to entertain the kiddos (probably so the parents can purchase obscene amounts of expensive wine).


After another perfect Bordeaux day, we drove home in a rain storm. The clouds looked amazing against the vineyards. Again, I worry about the amount of rain for the 2013 Bordeaux wines. London will have to inform us of how they turned out in twenty years when they are ready to drink as she will be 24 and legally able to drink them.