Those who know me know that I am not really into the finer arts but if I have ever had to say whom my most favourite artist is my answer would always be Monet. i love his watercolours particularly of the lilies and the water. So when i found myself coming to Paris again I wanted to do something a bit different and felt a need to revive myself in some way - for me this is to be around beauty - something that re fills me with awe and the magnificence of the world in which we live in. Today did not disappoint me and it will remain in my memory as one of my favourite days of 2010.
I booked a day tour thru viator.com - a small private group - 7 of us all together. Our first stop was the village of Giverney about 60-90 minutes outside of Paris - this is where Claude Monet lived and worked and was the inspiration for his water lilies and garden scenes. He created his gardens himself and eventually had gardeners to help him. for late summer the gardens were still lovely and i couldnt stop taking photos as you can tell. The garden area is quite separate to the water garden area - actually separated by a main road now although you wouldnt know as very little noise. I just wandered and wandered and wandered back some more and took photos and just drank in the beauty.
Then off about 20 mins down the road for our included 3 course lunch - they are never amazing and this was very average - however again the restaurant was beautiful and a wonderful house with a water mill at the end of the garden and a lovely cat - I miss my Cokey.
Then onto to Auvers Sur Oise where Vincent van Gogh spent the last months of his life before killing himself. Quite a tragic story really but it appears he was depressed - he shot himself up in the fields above the town but actually survived for a few days. It was interesting to see what he painted in real life. It poured with rain here but didnt diminish for me what had been a day I needed to revive my soul.
Then back to Paris to meet up with family and I saw a gorgeous sunset - beautiful end to the day.
And for your information this is only about half of the photos I took:)
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