Known as France’s Garden, the Loire Valley is a region two hours south of Paris named for the Loire River that runs through it; the area is best known, however, for the hundreds of castles that fill it. Built mostly during the Renaissance Age, the castles laud the country’s glory days of nobility and wealth. A few weeks ago, I spent a day chateau-hopping to see three of the region’s best treasures. Only in France, right?
Chateau Chambord was our first stop. Built by France’s King Francis I, it was intended to be a hunting lodge. Oh yes, obviously Francis was just looking for a humble place to escape to the country…quite naturally, French kings seem to be humble like that.
Though grand in scale, the castle was only ever a place the king stopped for a week or two en route to somewhere else. In fact, in 32 years, Francis spend a grand total of 72 days in the castle. And because it was never a permanent residence, the chateau was never furnished, meaning every time the King and court came to Chambord, they brought with them every piece of furniture needed. Ohhhhhhh.lala.
My favorite detail of the castle is the letter F (for Francis, but of course) carved everywhere – on walls, on doors, across ceilings, in stone, in wood – along with the king’s emblem, a salamander. Best of all, it’s believed that Leonardo da Vinci, who spent the last years of his life in France, thought up the idea for the castle’s central staircase: a double staircase in which climbers walking opposite halves see each other through windows at different points but only ever meet on each floor’s landing.
Just down the road is Cheverny. More modest than Chambord, it is still privately owned and lived in by a single family. It’s quite Downton Abbey-esque, all the way down to the monthly hunting parties they host with the hounds that live on-site. Best of all, during World War II when prized art from the Louvre and other museums was removed from Paris for fear that the city would be destroyed, it’s believed that the Mona Lisa herself was hidden in the back house at Cheverny.
Stay tuned for my favorite Loire Valley chateau tomorrow!
Zune and iPod: Most people compare the Zune to the Touch, but after seeing how slim and surprisingly small and light it is, I consider it to be a rather unique hybrid that combines qualities of both the Touch and the Nano. It’s very colorful and lovely OLED screen is slightly smaller than the touch screen, but the player itself feels quite a bit smaller and lighter. It weighs about 2/3 as much, and is noticeably smaller in width and height, while being just a hair thicker.
The new Zune browser is surprisingly good, but not as good as the iPod’s. It works well, but isn’t as fast as Safari, and has a clunkier interface. If you occasionally plan on using the web browser that’s not an issue, but if you’re planning to browse the web alot from your PMP then the iPod’s larger screen and better browser may be important.
Zune and iPod: Most people compare the Zune to the Touch, but after seeing how slim and surprisingly small and light it is, I consider it to be a rather unique hybrid that combines qualities of both the Touch and the Nano. It’s very colorful and lovely OLED screen is slightly smaller than the touch screen, but the player itself feels quite a bit smaller and lighter. It weighs about 2/3 as much, and is noticeably smaller in width and height, while being just a hair thicker.
Zune and iPod: Most people compare the Zune to the Touch, but after seeing how slim and surprisingly small and light it is, I consider it to be a rather unique hybrid that combines qualities of both the Touch and the Nano. It’s very colorful and lovely OLED screen is slightly smaller than the touch screen, but the player itself feels quite a bit smaller and lighter. It weighs about 2/3 as much, and is noticeably smaller in width and height, while being just a hair thicker.
I’ll gear this review to 2 types of people: current Zune owners who are considering an upgrade, and people trying to decide between a Zune and an iPod. (There are other players worth considering out there, like the Sony Walkman X, but I hope this gives you enough info to make an informed decision of the Zune vs players other than the iPod line as well.)
If you’re still on the fence: grab your favorite earphones, head down to a Best Buy and ask to plug them into a Zune then an iPod and see which one sounds better to you, and which interface makes you smile more. Then you’ll know which is right for you.
I’ll gear this review to 2 types of people: current Zune owners who are considering an upgrade, and people trying to decide between a Zune and an iPod. (There are other players worth considering out there, like the Sony Walkman X, but I hope this gives you enough info to make an informed decision of the Zune vs players other than the iPod line as well.)
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The new Zune browser is surprisingly good, but not as good as the iPod’s. It works well, but isn’t as fast as Safari, and has a clunkier interface. If you occasionally plan on using the web browser that’s not an issue, but if you’re planning to browse the web alot from your PMP then the iPod’s larger screen and better browser may be important.
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This is getting a bit more subjective, but I much prefer the Zune Marketplace. The interface is colorful, has more flair, and some cool features like ‘Mixview’ that let you quickly see related albums, songs, or other users related to what you’re listening to. Clicking on one of those will center on that item, and another set of “neighbors” will come into view, allowing you to navigate around exploring by similar artists, songs, or users. Speaking of users, the Zune “Social” is also great fun, letting you find others with shared tastes and becoming friends with them. You then can listen to a playlist created based on an amalgamation of what all your friends are listening to, which is also enjoyable. Those concerned with privacy will be relieved to know you can prevent the public from seeing your personal listening habits if you so choose.
Apple now has Rhapsody as an app, which is a great start, but it is currently hampered by the inability to store locally on your iPod, and has a dismal 64kbps bit rate. If this changes, then it will somewhat negate this advantage for the Zune, but the 10 songs per month will still be a big plus in Zune Pass’ favor.
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I’m starting my “Caitlin’s going to show me more of Paris” fund now.
Tammy, I know! It’s going to a lot of fun to all be in Paris together – what to do, what to do! And I would definitely take up that offer!
Emily, for sure! It’s super simple!
Exactly how are you going to narrow down what to show Matt and Sarah when they come to your lovely land? Beautiful. Maybe your ticket back to Paris will be tagging along as a personal tour guide for friends and family. I’d be willing to pay your way.
will you teach me how to write on the photos?