We started out our day at the local McDonald’s (!) only for coffee and internet access. We were unwilling to pay the $10/hr the hotel was charging, so our access to the internet has been very catch-as-catch-can in cafes. I must say, though, the McDonald’s here in Saintes is very upscale, and nicer than any we visit in Hawaii.

Carl wanted to go back to Cognac since when we were there on Monday, most of the stores were closed. He had his eye on a wine and spirits store there, but it was closed when we got there.

Our concert today was at 5 pm and was a program of early classic composers (Cherubini, Mozart and Haydn) with a youth orchestra, Jeune Orchestre Atlantique. I would say that most of the players were in their 20s, and we recognized several from the children’s concert the day before. It was excellent, just a little rough around the edges, as this is a training group for the Orchestre de Champs-Elysées.

Carolyn Sampson, a soprano from many recordings we have, was the featured soloist with the orchestra. She has a very beautiful, but very big voice which carries well above the orchestra. She sang arias by Cherubini and Mozart.

Afterwards, we had dinner in the outdoor restaurant just outside the Abbaye. Carl didn’t realize that he had ordered an entire bottle of wine, so we gave about half of it to the people who sat at the table next to us. They were very happy!