PARIS MAY 2014 -7- IMPRESSIONISM AT ITS HEIGHT : MONET'S GARDENS

5.10.2014

IMPRESSIONISM AT ITS HEIGHT : MONET'S GARDENS

The first glimpse of the lillies in Monet's garden

We had made a plan to go to Giverny, Monet's home and gardens on our last day in Paris. Greg has done his homework very well, we need to leave early so we can catch an 8 am train rather than a 10:30 from St. Lazare train station. Thus, I discover that St. Lazare to Paris is the Grand Central Station of New York City. We are glad we arrive at the station earlier than needed since the train was scheduled to leave at 7:50 due to the big weekend following the anniversary of Nazis being expelled from the country on May 7th. No wonder, we had huge festivities on Wednesday night along the river, in front of Notre Dame, which felt like all the thunderous noise came from right below our window at the hotel.

Lillies and the willow tree

The train ride to Vernon takes about 45 minutes. Vernon is a small, quaint town with very sweet character. Giverny is a bus ride away from the train station. It takes two buses to carry us all to Giverny, all the visitors of Monet's Gardens, mostly American. How sweet that there are so many Americans interested in going out of their way to visit Giverny by dedicating an entire day to the task.

It turns out to be another highlight of our visit to Paris.  Giverny is yet another small, much smaller than Vernon a town, we learn from an atelier owner, it has only 600 population.

Lillies and reflection in the pond

It does have a church and a cemetery around it, but we don't see any school. The only Main Street is lined up with gift shops, gardening shops, ateliers and galleries, and cafes and restaurants. The old Baugdy hotel/restaurant is interesting in its history: Madame Baugdy was asked to board a few impressionists when they started coming to Giverny following Monet's footsteps: There was no place for them to stay in town. Smart woman, figuring out that these young painters would continue coming back, converted her house into a room and board place with subsequent further conversion into a hotel and a restaurant, and the rest is history. We have the best salad in Paris at this small restaurant, which is successful in squeezing in as many people as they can. Pretty much, everybody is in elbow contact, which triggers conversations around lunch table, another fun thing to do while traveling. 

More than lillies at Monet's Gardens

Visiting Monet's gardens especially his "water garden" where the infamous pond, the willow trees, the bridges, the lilacs, and certainly the lilies reside turns out to be a "de ja vouz" in its own term. I try to look at my surroundings trying to see what Monet had seen in his time. But, we can't bathe in the same water twice: even Monet couldn't depict his water garden, his lilies identically the same twice, how could I see one of his scenes after 400 some years. I just try to take it all in and carry with me to Iowa City for difficult times. In the gardens, among other things, the numerous variety of columbines catch my eyes.  The colors are so gorgeous and varied from white to yellow, to pink, to red, to violet and many more shades...

Columbines at Monet's Gardens

When we are dropped off at the Vernon station half an hour early, we cherish that opportunity to walk around town by going to the town center and discover the magnificent cathedral, again in Gothic style. Greg wants to take me to the Laduree Tea house in the Saint Germain neighborhood, which is famous for its macarons. We take the first train back to Paris at 2:15 pm and arrive in town around 4 pm. Good timing for tea!

Cathedral in Vernon

The store where I get a small box of macarons for my friend Nukhet is crowded with mostly Parisians: I cannot believe how they load their bags with sweets of all kinds from this open buffet type of store. "That is elite Paris for you Resmiye" I think to myself. We go in to have tea/coffee and macarons. It is not unusual to order one mini-macaron with tea in this place due to two things: price is probably prohibitive for many as well as the sweetness of the goodies. We do the same since we are planning to have dinner, too. The place is painted in light green color, but all the walls are covered with Chinese themes as well as the wall trimmings and selected furniture pieces. First time in my life, I am served tea out of silver tea pots! Did I tell the reader Paris has been full of new experiences for me?

Architecture in Vernon

Before going out to dinner, we walk through neighborhoods again. We bump into the narrowest street in Paris: Rue du chat qui peche. Latin Quarter is interesting with its ethnic cafes and restaurants, where you don't pay much, but be ready for suboptimal food, proving one more time "what you pay is what you get!" We eat at a Greek place with the most unfriendly waiter you could find, whose ice I couldn't defrost even by speaking Greek. After dinner, we go to one of the cathedrals.

The narrowest street in Paris

I would like to meditate, Greg is very supportive: I close my eyes and focus on my breath as well as thoughts. I observe my thoughts and emotions as they come and go, their intensity, their variety. I just acknowledge how I feel without making any attempt to change them. I observe my thoughts about what Paris meant for me in the past, what it has meant for the last week, what it means now and what it may mean in the future. I also observe thoughts about what home means, how much at home I feel in Paris. I notice my longing for being at home, in my own house, in my own town. I had exceptional experiences in Paris, yes, but it is time to go home, to Iowa City, it is good to have roots some place on earth that I can call home, to always return to... That is what makes all the traveling so precious and meaningful for me. 

One for you one for me