Last weekend Diane and Peter invited us over again for lunch and to visit some of the gems near their home. We are so lucky to have met them! Peter is hilarious and we find ourselves doubled over laughing at his stories. Diane is such a good hostess, always trying to make everyone comfortable. We always leave with big smiles on our faces.
I had to post a picture of their neighbor's donkeys. I have never heard a donkey "hee-haw" before and I was quite surprised. It is so loud and obnoxious and you just laugh at them because they're making a fool of themselves with their nostrils flaring! They go crazy whenever there are strangers--I told Kyle they would be a good alarm system if someone was robbing you. Oh and here are some chickens too.
After a delicious lunch of vegetable soup and walnut bread, rosemary chicken, potatoes, parsnips, sweet potatoes, something that resembled cooked spinach, and raspberry cheesecake we headed off to Château Puyguilhem. It was built around 1515
Our guide was very animated. You could tell he was passionate about what he does and it made the tour so much more exciting. He even took us to a restricted part of the castle (up in the attic parts) and told us not to tell anybody...oops. Something Kyle and I have realized here is that a lot of people don't enjoy their job. It's so sad. Sometimes they even act like it's a burden when you ask them a question or for help. They only do the bare minimum and don't care about pleasing the customers. Diane and Peter agreed. Anyway here are some pictures of the inside of Puyguilhem.
This sculpted decoration represents the labours of Hercules although only six out of twelve were carved. Hercules in these sculptures at the castle represents the king of France (Francois I) and since some of the labours of Hercules were minuscule (such as wiping down tables and cutting apples) they didn't want to portray the king as doing such tasks. Hence only six were made.
Man above door with ax in early renaissance = do not enter, private.
Timbers in the restricted attic. Sadly, mold has started to grow on some of the wood around windows and it is of major concern now.
Castle grounds. This circular building is called a putlog hole. It is where they would raise pigeons and doves and then eat them. Our branch president does the same thing except he doesn't have a fancy putlog hole. He also makes his poor wife kill the pigeons.
Can you see the lizards sunbathing on this dude's head?
I don't know why but I absolutely love stone steps with moss growing in between the rocks.
House of the castle-keeper right next door. Lucky duck. I told Kyle when we retire we should move to the South of France and become guides for a beautiful castle. And then open up a little LDS visitor center next to it.
Next up we visited the ruins of an abbey built in the 1100's. It was like a maze and you could still enter most the rooms, some dark and some open to the sky. When I saw this rock archway with sunlight coming in I immediately pictured the Savior, the tomb, and His resurrection. Such a lovely moment especially so near to Easter.
It felt like those stones were going to break and fall at any moment. Watch your head.
Peter found a bird's nest in a crevice in one of the walls.
Kyle checking out a hole with about twenty of lizards. Then we reminisced about the early days of our lives camping with family and trying to catch lizards only to pull their tails off. Sad. But they grow back so it was okay.
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