AMERICANS IN BORDEAUX

Sure looked like a lunar eclipse, and those web things are the top of trees from La Ferme, our dining choice:

I ordered a Kir and beer, plus shared their Bordeaux:

Foie gras for my appetizer, and a portion of a Camembert salad:

For the entre, an enormous lamb shank, plus some steak:

I asked what was the house dessert specialty, which came with a very long name.  Turned out to be French Toast:

While it was the best I ever had, it was still disappointing.  All in all a most enjoyable French farmhouse meal.

Elvis at our motel.  Note the 43 Euro cost.  The current exchange rate is 1 E for $1.13.

My breakfast:

You can make your own soft to hard boiled egg here:

We took a trip to the Atlantic Ocean for oysters, said by Elvis to be the best in the world.  Our car:

We stopped off at some sand dunes, Grand Site de la Dune du Pilat:

The climb in sand seemed daunting, plus, I was wearing slippers, so I skipped this portion of our outing.  Here, after the climb and back, Elvis looking for a t-shirt or semething:  I don't think he bought the yellow shirt.  Expand it to see what it says.

We finally made it to Arcachon, and my Blue-Bar Pigeon greeted us:

Best artichoke I've ever seen, and the berries looked good, too:

Red endives.  Our lunch spot was appropriately enough called:

Two dozen raw oysters, smoked salmon and top shell.  They don't have horse radish, catsup, lemon and tabasco sauce.  Here, a flavored vinegar and a kind of mayonnaise.  I've long been avoiding oysters, but the raw ones here were truly outstanding.  We then went walking on the pier, and noticed that oysters are growing everywhere:

Back to Bruges in Borsdeaux, we were met by my Blue-Bar Pigeon at St. Andre (Andrew in English) Cathedral:

We went inside:

Then had a drink in the courtyard:

The temperature must have been in the 40's.  Close by was an outdoor pedestrian mall:

Then back for another drink:

We stopped at a super supermarket and saw Bordeaux at 1.90 E, so bought a bottle.

Drank it in our room and found it to be okay, but without much body and character.  But Bordeaux for $2.15/bottle!

After a short return to our motel, we went to L'Aquitania for dinner:

Pan-fried foie gras on risotto, plus part of an excellent Black Angus, with Bordeaux.

We ended the evening at a casino:

Tomorrow, Chateau Lafite Rochschild.

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