Getting to our destination took much longer than we expected.  Our GPS must have re-routed us around road construction and traffic.  Our 8 hour trip ended up taking 12 hours.

Winding up the narrow roads of the 1ooo year old town.  Choosing to go the wrong way up a one-way road because we are simply exhausted and cant think beyond the mistaken GPS.  We arrive on top of a hill that overlooks the the city below.  We sit at a tall black gate.  This can’t be it, but if it isn’t I don’t know where to go. The girls sqeal with delight and I tell them to not get excited.  I push the button on the speaker box, “Nathalie?” The voice from the box responds, “Bon Jour, Bly. I will open the gate and you  may come in.” Sigh.  Thank you, God.

We were so relieved to see Nathalie waving to us out the front door.

A little boy’s delight to find a fat, slimy snail.

Two beautiful rooms.  Raleigh tells me that he will make his bed since he is living in a castle.

A beautiful breakfast served by Nathalie the inn keeper.  Raleigh refers to her as the queen since the house looks like a castle.  There is some concern that the king does not wear a crown.

As we eat Nathalie stays in the dining room just in case we need something.  A little awkward with someone waiting for us to need something. This is not a world I know.  I ask her a few questions to make light conversation to ease the quietness.  My girls sitting up straight, barely breathing while they eat. Nathalie speaks of the home that was built in 1875 and has been in her husbands family since it’s beginning.  It was just a summer home until 5 years ago when they turned it into a B&B.  The room is still.  I want to just slunch down and really think about my yummy chocolatey coffee and buttery croissant but I should include her by asking more questions and then the little boy’s roaring voice cracks the silence, “ASHTON IS MY COUSIN AND HE’S BIG BECAUSE HE’S NINE. SO, DOES YOUR HUSBAND PLAY SPORTS? OR DOES HE LIKE BOARD GAMES OR VIDEO GAMES? MY DAD AND I WRESTLE WHEN HE GETS HOME FROM WORK, HE LIKES TO WIN!”  We smile and try to properly explain what he said but he talks a bit like a firehose and it makes it difficult to back up and re-iterate. We quickly eat, in fear of what will come flying out of his mouth next.

A long day of travel and now it is evening.