Hello Claire,

We're on vacation in France this week! We're in Blois, a small town near Tours. I am here with Janet, an old friend from school. Our hotel is near the castle in the old town, and is not far from some nice cafés and restaurants. We eat French bread for breakfast every morning, and I buy it from a local bakery. In the morning, Janet and I go for coffee in a local café and eat a pastry. French pastries are delicious. In the afternoon, we walk by the river and explore the old town. There are some excellent stores, so I'll get you a present. The castle is amazing. It's about 1,000 years old and has lots of rooms with beautiful paintings.

See you soon!

Tim