Day 11, Trip to Giverny.

I was thinking about making this trip next Monday, but was looking at the weather report last night and today was determined to be the most promising for the next week.  It is confusing because my weather app for Paris said no chance of rain, and Yahoo weather gave weather warnings with 40% chance.  Nevertheless, it was better than the future forecasts and I've come to not worry very much about them at all.  Coming from Seattle, we do forge on.  As it turned out,  the day was mostly sunny, maybe the nicest I've had so far.

  I got up early and took the subway down to Gare St. Lazarre, where I needed to (supposedly) get in a long line to purchase a ticket to Vernon.  Kicking myself for not having planned ahead and picked up a ticket earlier, I roared down there hoping to catch the 8:20 train. No line, Bang! I was on the 7:20 AM train for a 45 minute ride.  France has it down. Those RER trains go like lightening.  I arrived in Vernon about an hour and a half early. Oh well.  I drank some cafe creme, (terreeble) at a cafe close by and then mosied around Vernon before catching a shuttle to the gardens. 

I was not prepared for how stunning they would be. I've been to scores of gardens, always love and appreciate them, but this one....Oooolala. Whereas Butchart Garden is stunning in its  carefully planned and groomed way,  these were like an impressionist's painting. Splashes of color, a riot of color, mixed palettes yet always pleasing, and acres and acres of meadows of plants. and then the water gardens. A total different feel. 

I was there early enough that I was able to catch little spaces to photograph and to "be" without people nearby, but there were 
hoards of people. I dont imagine there ever is a  time where there is no one on the bridges during open hours.  Nonethess, it was a privilege to be able to walk where Monet walked.  I can so well see how he was brilliantly inspired!  

The icing on the cake that was my day was that I met a California couple waiting for the shuttle (for an hour!) back to Vernon and it was a pleasure to spend a couple hours speaking English with delightful folks. 

For those of you with Facebook, (everyone except Beth?) these picture may be a repeat of the ones I put in an album there.