Parents rarely get the opportunity to visualize the initial moment of conception of their child. Our yet to be born, lifeless, Chloe, lay flat on a pallet in layers of CNC-cut aluminum pieces. Soon to be transformed from 2D to 3D, we will be able to monitor and appreciate the 10-month metamorphosis before she splashes in April, 2019. Her genetically cloned elder sisters lay next to her, already standing upright and looking strong, giving us a good impression of what Chloe will grow up to become. The precision engineering and welding expertise that has evolved from decades of experience is a backbone of Garcia's yachts. Chloe will be hull #21 of the Garcia 45 Exploration line of sailing yachts.
An "Exploration" is one designed for year-round, offshore, all-latitude sailing conditions and represents the latest generation of high-tech sailing yachts. Extra tough, to take a knock from an iceberg or a whale, and insulated to prevent condensation and mildew, even in colder climates. Chloe is an aluminum boat and unlike so many plastic production boats, she is being built with strength in mind. Only a few boat-builders in the world have the expertise and set-up to accomplish smooth-hulled, strong cruising yachts like Chloe, for couples.
While awaiting for Chloe to take shape, we continued our touring and decided to drive south down the west side of France to get a good sampling of the culture and see what the world's #1 tourist destination has to offer. France has a reputation for having great bread, wine, and cheese. We wondered if it was really true. It is. A trip into any ordinary supermarket illustrates a vast array of cheese, wine, ham, and yogurt as well as very fresh, local produce. The hundreds of cheeses available were dominated by the soft camembert or chèvre types each with their own unique characteristic as determined by a secret family recipe. We really loved the way the country of origin was marked for each produce item so we were aware of shipping distances and could try to keep our carbon footprint relatively small. Warm, crusty, baguette from a local Boulangerie along with cheese and wine from any local market makes a great picnic while exploring the sites. We captured a few samples in the video showing the array of the most common items in the supermarkets. As Dawn's slender waistline started to bulge, we wondered if we should enlist ourselves in Le Tour de France. In the next episode, we will move further south to see the Cognac and Bordeaux regions and then even further toward the Spanish border to see the Pyrenees mountains.
