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We picked up a rental car and left Paris for the country side this morning. On our way to the rental agency we picked up some croissants and coffee for breakfast. We also purchased a baguette and other snacks for the day. We did not let the drizzly weather dampen our spirits and soon we were on our way. We had very little difficulty leaving Paris. The cars coming in to Paris: well that was another story.

Our first stop of the day was at an abandoned chateau. The majority of the structure was still standing. It was several stories tall. We spent a few hours exploring and taking photos. The rooms on the main floors were almost completely empty, save for a few chairs. Every room on the main floor was different. There was a picturesque grand staircase with wrought iron railings in the main hallway leading to the second floor. The second floor was also quite barren with many of the rooms boarded up. The third floor and fourth floor were stripped down to just the structural supports: just wall joists and floor joists.

Our second destination of the day did not yield any positive results. Not every venture is a successful one.

We stopped in Reims for dinner at an Italian diner. The three of us ordered the exact same meals: risotto with prawns and artichoke hearts, and a cup of coffee. The waiter was amused. On our way back to the car, we picked up another round of assorted macaroons. This time we came away with chocolate, fleur de sel, and lemon.

We had made plans to meet up with a friend from Belgium to do some exploring together. The journey to meet him was lengthy and also involved travelling a 6-7 km tunnel through a mountain. The toll for the tunnel was 9 euros. Yikes! We figured for that price, we should at least take a few pictures inside the tunnel to document the experience. The tunnel had periodic pull offs for cars so we stopped at one. Within a minute of us stopping, getting out, and pulling out our cameras, someone started yelling at us over an intercom (in French). We hastily returned to the car and continued on our way. Oh well.

We arrived at our hotel just before midnight. Our friend was already there, waiting for us. We quickly discussed our plans for the morning and then retired to our rooms for the evening. Tomorrow will be another day!