Happy Birthday to Me

On the day of my birthday we went to a neighboring city called Saumur, a 25 minute train ride away. Saumur is right on the Loire river. They have a picturesque chateau on a bluff next to the river. But what they are known for is their horses, more specifically, the Cadre Noire. We rented some bikes to get us to the complex to see the dressage show. We were told it was only 4 klicks from the train station. It ended up being at least 10, uphill both ways. It wasn't so bad, because the further we got out of the city the more stunning the views of rolling hills became. We got to the stadium as the show was starting, but we didn't miss much because they were "warming up". After that, we saw these trained horses jump over gates and other obstacles, walk diagonally, dance (better than me, actually), and perform some fancy aerials. The most difficult maneuver is to have the horse jump up with its front and then kick with its back. I'm sure it takes a lot of training to get these beasts to that level. It was very impressive.

The best picture I got.

After that high-tail it back to the train station in order to get back to work before people in my office in Raleigh began to start working. I ended up getting sick that evening until the next evening.

We waited until Friday night to go out to eat. We went to a traditional Anjou restaurant called La Ferme. Elizabeth ordered Coq au Vin, a traditional dish of rooster cooked in red wine - very delicious. I ordered magret of duck, which was basically an rare-cooked breast of duck (I didn't know what it was before I ordered it). That was the second uncooked piece of meat I had the pleasure (sarcasm) of eating this past week. The first time was when eating lunch at the school with Elizabeth. You get what they give you there, so I had no choice. Not a fan of eating meat that can be revived by a trained professional, as my coworker Scott puts it... So after the main course came the most comprehensive cheese plate I've ever seen. And I couldn't send it away without trying every single kind. Cheese is great. Even the stinky stuff.

So it was a great birthday. Thanks for all the cards!