Finally on the bike, to Gennes

 

The Loire River right below our hotel, Angeline, in Gennes.  A beatiful sky.

This dog, Alfonse, belongs to the daughter of the owner's.  He is a complete nut, first barking and growling at Stephen, then inseparable from us both.  He puts his stick on my foot, or Stephen's. 

This was enroute.  It was raining on and off...we were lucky to find shelter during the heaviest rains.  I had a good discussion with two of the local guys. They were plastered, drinking 3,4,5 pastiches.  The one in the picture was born in that small town.  He worked in some sort of agriculture but said that there weren't really any jobs, and this was a bedroom community to Angers.  They were both grandfathers; this guy was a proud Catholic. Meanwhile, Stephen was speaking English with a couple who were doing a more lengthy tour.

En route under cloudy skies that broken into rain, heavy at times.....

The church next to our hotel.  Until a couple of years ago, the hotel was housing for the priests. Now it is permanantly closed. The structure was built in the 11th century.

The plan was for Stephen to take a photo of me in front of every church. We definitely missed some. This one seemed more feminine, with the Virgin being in the primary position above the altar.  There were a number of more feminine/family statements on the walls.  I liked it.

In spite of my weak determination to drink less at dinner so as to improve my sleep, we drank a half bottle of white wine, half bottle of red, both excellent, regional wines; strawberries drenched in rum, and a dessert drink.  Thank goodness I would walk down to the river to see the beautiful sunset.