Some France photos for my poor, neglected blog

I've become such a neglectful blogger. Well, let me try to make amends with a few photos, with many more to come. We began our recent trip to France in the Loire Valley. We stayed at a lovely little hotel near the Château de Chenonceau. So that château was our first stop.

As you enter the grounds, you cross what would be the first obstacle for an unwanted visitor...


It may have been meant as an obstacle, but it's just pretty now.

Then you walk down a modest, little path that leads you to the château itself...



Along the way, there's some Egyptian influence to be seen...



Next, you see the first part of the gardens...



One interesting additional measure, apparently meant to isolate the property, if needed, is this...



If you click on that last one (and, of course, I know you're clicking on all of them for better views *g*), you can get a better view of how it's put together. If you were to reach up and pull down on the near end of the lever, the little draw bridge would come up, leaving a long drop right down to the water below.

Fortunately, such measures were unnecessary, so we were able to walk across this little drawbridge, so I could get a nice shot of the château...



I hope you enjoyed those. There are many more to come, but I plan to spread them out a little. Not because it gives me lots of things for the blog; rather, because I love reliving the trip this way! :)