Bordeaux was AMAZING! It was similar to Paris, but there was less people, and you're not scrambling to see everything in a certain amount of time. Bordeaux is located on the west coast of France, along the longest estuary in Europe. It is a mixture of old and new, and new attempting to incorporate the old. Sometimes it works, other times all I could do was shake my head. Bordeaux is very much a medieval city, with its large (and enormous amount) of churches. The city is located in the Aquitaine region, which for those of you who haven't brushed up on your british history lately, was once controlled by 2 kings. The king of France, obviously, and the King of England, who was the Duke of Aquitaine by marriage. In one of the museums, they have made a copy of Alienor of Aquitaines coffin. It was very cool. And of course, Bordeaux is famous for its wine. It has been a major port for wine shipping since the middle ages. I had the opportunity to visit 2 chateaux that ship wine around the world. They were located in the Entre-les-deux-mers, which is a section of land that is in between the 2 rivers that form the estuary. I visited Chateau Lamothe de Haux and Chateau La France. Both were very interesting and provided some good information about the region. The grapes that make the Bordeaux wine are grown in 2 different types of soil. If it is a right bank wine, then the soil is gravely. If it is a left bank wine, then the soil is limestone. Apparently the type of soil can make a difference in the taste of the wine. Also there is no Bordeaux grape. Bordeaux wine is a mixture of grapes....merlot being one of them....i believe there were 3-4 others. Also there is a white appellation of Bordeaux, but there might not be a white appellation of the chateau. Take Chateau Lamothe. They make both white and red wines, but only the red wine can be an appellation of their chateau....the white wine is a Bordeaux appellation. Now as you read this, know that I am copying this off of notes I have, and have no idea what this all actually means. So if you ask me, I will stare at you. There is also 3 different Bordeaux Appellations..... I think....Bordeaux Superior, Bordeaux, and Bordeaux Blanc. That I dont have notes on, so I just kinda made it up:) It was all very interesting and I'm glad I did it. The food was very good, but of course I am in France.

Bisous

Sara