Wednesday.  We wanted Gail and Lisa to see an outdoor market and we knew market day in Loches was on Wednesday so we took the train and bus to Loches.  It was a gray day with rain off and on but it never rained too hard or very long.  However, I think some of the regular market vendors did not set up that day because of the forecast.  Today's pictures were also taken by Lisa Tuttle Lyda.  Here are a few pictures she took walking from the bus to the market.

  

Rachael had mentioned the huge pans of Paella offered at some of the markets and we saw this one in Loches.  That thing is gigantic!

This big hunk of cheese also caught Lisa's attention.  I think it is Emmental.  David said he could eat it for lunch!

We did some shopping but mostly gawking and it was wonderful.  At one point David and Lisa split off from Gail and me and they walked up to the castle/keep to take pictures while Gail and I just strolled around and talked.  Here is the house Lisa wants to live in.

We met up for lunch at Noon at Grand Cafe des Arts.  Earlier Lisa and I made a reservation there because it is on the main street with outdoor seating and we wanted to people-watch while we had lunch.  However, the weather was a little cool and damp so we chose to eat inside.  The waiters spoke a little English and they were very lively and fun.  Gail, David and I had omelettes and french fries and Lisa had a croque monsieur (toasted ham and cheese sandwich with an egg on it) and green salad.  We took our time eating and enjoyed it very much.

After lunch we walked back to catch the bus and I took a couple of nice pictures with Lisa's iPhone..

The bus and train rides back to Saint Aignan were uneventful.  We had scheduled a taxi to pick us up at the train station and take us home but there was a mix up and Gail and I rode the taxi home and David and Lisa walked.  They said it rained on them a little bit but it wasn't too bad.  Lisa really loves Saint Aignan so on their way home they took a few more pictures from the island in the Cher River directly across from Saint Aignan.  I love this picture that she took, so much so that I've made it my cover photo on my Facebook page! 

When David and Lisa returned home we went across the street to have our last dinner together at L'Amarena.  David and I had eaten pizza there one night but we were looking forward to trying some of their pasta.  Our homeowner, Rachael, told me their pasta carbonara was "to die for," so Gail ordered that, Lisa ordered spaghetti with pesto, David ordered tagliatelle with gorgonzola and I ordered pizza.  We all shared our dinners with each other and they were delicious.  And Rachael was right . . . the carbonara was incredible!!!

It was a celebration so we had to order dessert.  Lisa and I had creme brulee, Gail had coffee ice cream and caramel ice cream and David had a chocolate sundae, the dame blanche. 

We came home and stayed up talking as long as we could but finally had to go to bed because a taxi was going to pick up Gail and Lisa at 7:30 the next morning to take them to the train station for the next chapter of their adventure!!!