I think it only proper to disclose at the beginning of this posting that David is largely responsible for most of the narrative, including the times and correct French names and references. I gave him this responsibility early on and after some griping and grousing, he accepted his assignment, so, without further ado --
It was a lovely morning on Friday, a bit chilly but not a cloud in the sky. We left David’s pad at 27 rue Lecepede (on the Left Bank) at 10:00am and took a bus to the rail terminal Gare Lazare where we bought round-trip tickets for the 55 minute trip to Vernon, where we would catch a bus to Giverny, the location of Impressionist Claude Monet’s residence.
The train ride was great. We zipped through the country-side as I was zoned-out listening to my Nano through David’s new Bose earphones. If I may digress a minute - I remain impressed with the quality of the public transportation system in France. The equipment is up-to-date, they run on a timely schedule, the cars are clean and the rides are very smooth. It was about 12:50 when we arrived in Vernon. We made a quick connection for the bus to beautiful Giverny.
In 1883 middle-aged Claude Monet and his wife and their 8 children from two families settled into a farmhouse in Giverny, located about 50 miles west of Paris. Monet would spend 40 years in his pastoral paradise which included a Japanese garden and a pond full of floating lilies. He died in 1925.
We first wandered around the gardens and then circled his lilly-filled ponds. Took lots of pictures. Then we went into his home which has been well-maintained. All of this took a couple of hours.
Had a nice lunch at an outside patio at a bistro at the Hotel La Musardiere. Then we walked to the Museum D’ Art American which displays works of various American artists who have formed a colony of artists in Giverny.
We caught the bus back to Vernon for our 6:05pm return train ride back to Paris. It was 6:50 when we got back to the terminal in Paris. I had thought we could come back to the apartment but David had something else in mind and I am so glad he did - he wanted me to see the sunset from the vantage point of the Basilica Sarce-Coeur in Montmartre. Wow!!
We had been there during my 2007 visit so I knew it would be quite a hike up stairs and steeply rising streets so I tried to talk David out of it, but he was determined to give me this opportunity, even though it would be extremely physically stressful on him. Bless his heart! That is called FRIENDSHIP. So, we took the subway from the train terminal and then a funicular (a cable car) up and up to the viewing point.
It was awesome to catch the sun going down as the city stretching out beneath us came to life. After resting a bit we took buses back to David’s pad, getting there around 9:00pm.
We opted not to go out, electing instead for a sandwich and stuff.
What a great day. We made tentative plans for Saturday - I will be on my own during the day and David will do stuff in the apartment and around the ‘hood.
Much more to come - be warned!!
Billi Pod
wanjr@aol.com
1 comment:
This is probably the hardest thing I have had to write since my bar exam, but ......
Billi Pod was a great house guest in Paris. He washed dishes, occasionally remembered to say "please" and "thank you", was oriented in all spheres, groused only occasionally (considering his advanced age), picked-up after himself and left on time.
Yes, I would recommend him for short stays. Caveat! Please remember he slept on a mattress on the kitchen floor in my small flat. However, I would still recommend he be invited into your home, but be eased into his own adult bed should he visit you.
David
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