I'm glad you liked it, but certain phantasms are so totally different from mine...

Chateaux:


Chateau de Villandry
http://www.chateauvillandry.fr/

You have the option of touring either the chateau plus the gardens, or the gardens only. We chose to see both the chateau and gardens. The gardens were breathtakingly beautiful. I'm not the type who's seriously into gardening (I just appreciate pretty flowers, especially in spring), but I was so impressed with all the different gardens. I especially liked the Love Garden with its hedges laid out in formal patterns and how everything was pruned and trimmed so meticulously. In the Water Garden, we stopped to sit at a bench for a while and soak in the beauty of our surroundings. The weather was sunny and not too warm/not too chilly, so we could've easily sat there for hours on end.

Although the chateau is famous for its gardens, we were glad to see the inside of the chateau as well. One word to describe our reaction when seeing the ceiling in the Oriental Drawing Room: WOW! 3,600 separate pieces of wood make up this stunning ceiling.

Seeing a panoramic view of the gardens from the top of the chateau was also a must-do.


Chateau de Chambord
http://www.chambord.org/Chambord-en-idm-1-n-Accueil.html

The largest of the chateaux in the Loire Valley, we didn't even come close to seeing all the rooms and everything inside. The size was impressive but as a result, the chateau didn't emit any warmth. It was meant to be a summer hunting lodge which helps explain why. Many of the rooms were empty so that also contributed to the lack of warm; only parts of the chateau were furnished/decorated, like the chambers of Francois I and Louis XIV.

It was still worth visiting just to see it. The spires and turrets that made up the roof were interesting and the double spiral staircase is famous.



Food/Restaurants:

Biscuiterie de Chambord
http://www.biscuiteriedechambord.fr/

This shop is next to Chateau de Chambord (in between the chateau and the parking lot there's a cluster of places to eat snacks and to shop for souvenirs). You can sample tons of their products. My favorite was Le Crakou which is a crunchy, flat cookie with chopped hazelnuts and caramel. They were very delicate but I bought a bag anyway and didn't care if they broke into pieces later during transport since they tasted really delicious.

Driving to/from Chambord, we noticed they also have a location in nearby Maslives (I believe it was the factory direct sales outlet).


La Cassolette restaurant
http://www.restaurantlacassolette.fr/

A casual, wonderful little restaurant recommended by our hotel. It's a short drive from the hotel to the restaurant in Montbazon and if you blink, you'll miss it. It's at the foot of the Donjon du Faucon Noir.

I ordered a duck appetizer and for the main course, pork cassolette. I tried a first bite of the pork on its own (without pouring its sauce on it) and thought it was average tasting; the meat was tender (not juicy but not dry either) but the flavor was nothing special. Then I tried it with the sauce and it was FABULOUS! It was very rich and creamy. It's the type of sauce that’s so good you could almost drink it by itself! My hubby had fish and said his dish was very, very good.

Ordering the wine was a funny experience. We had been chitchatting with the couple sitting at the table next to us. My hubby wanted to sample a local wine so he asked the owner for a Vouvray. The couple next to us suggested Chinon. For the next few minutes, they and the owner were debating over which one would be better for him to drink! The owner ended up serving a Chinon that my hubby said was excellent.


Auberge de la Courtille
13 Avenue de la Gare
37250 Montbazon, France
02 47 26 28 26

This restaurant was also on the casual side. The food and service were good (although not as good as La Cassolette); dishes were simple, local/traditional French recipes.


Le Bout de la Rue
19 Rue de la Rôtisserie
37000 Tours, France

We had lunch here and sat at a table outside for some people watching while we ate. I ordered coq au vin and my hubby had salad Niçoise. Both dishes were good and the portions were generous. Our waitress was extremely nice, friendly, and helpful.



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Overall, we enjoyed our time in the Loire Valley. It was just the right balance of sightseeing and relaxing. The food was generally very good and the stay at the Domaine de la Tortinière chateau hotel was such a unique and wonderful experience.

Up next, Antwerp ...

Great, Antwerp is on my (admittedly long) list. Looking forward to your impressions.

We are planning to visit Antwerp for at least a day, possibly overnight, this fall so I am looking forward to the next part of the trip report.

ANTWERP:

On a separate side trip, we went to Antwerp with family. The two of us have been there many times before so we don't do the normal tourist sightseeing activities (I just like going there to eat and shop; it's my favorite shopping city).

This trip was just to hang out with family. My sister-in-law made all the arrangements for everyone's accommodations, all the restaurants, and our schedule in general. Here are our impressions of this part of our trip:

Hotel:
Radisson Blu Astrid
http://www.radissonblu.com/astridhotel-antwerp

The hotel is very modern-looking, and the rooms were spacious and clean. Located across from the Centraal Station and the Zoo, it was about a 10-15 minute walk to the heart of all the shopping and restaurants. Breakfast was very good -- they had a very large selection of food (they said there's 120 breakfast items that they serve in the buffet) including many different types of breads and pastries, various fruit juices, hot items like sausages, ham, eggs, bacon, potatoes (hash browns), cereals, cold sliced meats, fresh fruits, and more. A large area of the restaurant was taken up by the display of food. The view from the restaurant was pleasant. The windows were from floor to ceiling and we overlooked the square in front of the zoo and train station.

My only complaint in service was that I called for extra towels for our room and they never came.

On a side note, a famous Dutch singer, Marco Borsato, was staying at our hotel, too. We saw him hanging out in the lobby and my hubby's relatives were excited to have their picture taken with him. I had no idea who he was and had never heard of him


Restaurants:

Horta
http://www.grandcafehorta.be/

The food and service were fine, and the restaurant itself was attractive. Floor-to-ceiling windows made the place very open and bright. Great atmosphere and modern décor. There was also outdoor terrace seating. The place was very popular, as it was crowded inside and outside even though we were eating there at an odd hour.


The Bistro
http://www.thebistro.be/

Another popular restaurant with outdoor seating, located along the pedestrian link between the Meir and Schuttershofstraat. The menu was extensive and had some good seafood dishes in particular. A couple of us wanted to order vol au vent filled with chicken but it was so popular that it was already sold out that night.


Activities:

Zoo
http://www.zooantwerpen.be/

On Sunday since most things were closed and we were with our nieces and nephews, we all decided to go to the zoo. At first, I wasn't that thrilled about going there since I've been to plenty of zoos, but it actually turned out to be nice and pleasant. It was much larger than I expected and there's even an aquarium within the zoo. We spent more than half a day there seeing everything from Siberian tigers and polar bears to panthers and sharks. Also, the snack stands inside the zoo sold waffles which were pretty decent!


Shopping:
A trip to Antwerp wouldn't be complete without shopping along Schuttershofstraat. I indulged at my usual stops like Anne Fontaine and Comptoir des Cotonniers. If my hubby and I were in Antwerp without his relatives, I would’ve spent much more time shopping


To be cont'd ...

Like I said earlier, we mainly ate, shopped, and roamed around rather than went around sightseeing specific things. To me Antwerp isn't really touristy; it's just a great place to hang out and enjoy.

However, for the benefit of Leely2 and Vttraveler, I’ll highlight some things we've seen on past trips:

The Groenplaats is lined with cafes and stores, and is a nice place for people watching. Between here and the Grote Markt, there are also many souvenir stores selling items such as lace, chocolates, postcards, and T-shirts.

If you're interested in architecture, at the Grote Markt you can see the Guild houses and the town hall itself. The Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kathedraal (Cathedral of Our Lady) is nearby, as well. The Centraal Station is a beautiful domed building with a lovely interior decorated with marble. Even walking along the Meir, there are several historic buildings in sight.

Let me know if you want more info or have more specific questions.

Final part of my trip report coming soon …

thanks for the extra details about Antwerp recommended sights. I am still trying to decide whether we will stay there overnight. It seems there is plenty to do in a two-day stay --but we have free lodging with friends in Brussels.

Thanks for your additional thoughts. Sounds like such a nice trip!