the bandstand in early spring

The area around the bandstand was renovated not too long ago and it now looks better than ever.

deserted

Walking around the streets of Amboise yesterday was a bit surreal.  It was the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci at his home Clos Lucé here.  His tomb is in the little chapel you can see in the background on the grounds of the château.  The presidents of both France and Italy came for the commemoration ceremonies.  So due to security concerns, the entire central area of the town was closed to traffic and parking.  And the routes taken by the presidents were even closed to pedestrians.  As a result, Amboise became a ghost town for much of the day in spite of this once in lifetime event.  Shops and restaurants were closed and everyone stayed home.  I find it sad that these days even a small town cannot get together to celebrate, participate in a foot race, or be able to see our elected officials without being overwhelmed by fears of terrorism.