Visit to Giverny

Espalier apple trees

I went on a tour to Giverny today which meant we rode bikes from the station at Veron to the garden - 6 km return. The ride involved some road riding, a picnic on the banks of the Seine and most of the ride along a flattish park.

Remains of old mill on the Seine at Vernon, near Giverny.

The garden:

• smaller than I imagined


• packed with people


• lovely


• bamboo, ivy and agapanthas have their place - in France


• espalier apple trees around a square lawn - old, on 2 wires only 1 metre high, heavy crop,


• plants moved from Strauss's garden to Blackheath looked great at Giverny


• dense planting


• all plants fairly ordinary but looked fantastic together


• no vegies

Paris - a week later

People sun baking on side of Seine

Bikes you can hire

Walking around Montemarte

View from Dome of Sacre Coeur

Paris is still terrific.

I had a visit from Emma and Andrew over the weekend and we visited Musee D'Orsay, and walked around Montmarte and climbed to the dome of Sacre Coeur - fantastic view.

We then had a drink on the top of the Pompidu Centre, dinner at Place des Vosges, under the arches. and on Sunday lunch in the park with lots of locals.

Saturday night was very hot and Summer soltice which appartently is a great celebration. Hundreds of people were out, buskers and local group and bands everywhere until late at night.
A bit like Winter Magic in the heat, without the stalls and drunks.

Julie 'our street' was as full of people as when we joined the walk.

Today I walked along all Rue de Rivoli, ate 'lunch' in patisserie on 'my list', walked along the Seine, where people were sunbathing in bikinis or jocks and had a boat ride. Lovely sunny day.


Tomorrow I'm going on a bike ride around Giverny.

Paris

Chocolates in Galley Lafeyette - we bought one each.

Parking

On the 9 km Paris Without Cars walk

Apartment

Paris is terrific and today even the weather was lovely, warm and I wore a skirt.



The apartment is spacious, a garret, light, warm with all mod cons, quiet and in a terrific area.

I have had a visit from Julie and Stuart and we:

• walked around local area


• attended mass in Notra Dame - all bells and smells and music


• had dinner in a restaurant recommented by Jill Dupleix


• went on a 8 km walk with thousands of Parisians about Paris without cars


• visited Chartres


• went on a merry- go- round


• admired the food in Fauchon


• walked around Montmarte


• had lunch in Printemps under a stained glass cupola


• walked passed the house where Edith Piaf was supposed to be born


• seen the house where Victor Hugo lived


• walked up the romanesque tower of Chartres Cathedral - I went half way they went all the way.
  
  

They when to the top of the Eiffel Tower at night and I went to bed.

Cornwall

Near where we had lunch of crab sandwiches on the walk to Polperro

Walking along lanes towards Looe with Barbara. Village of Looe

House along the way.

Boat ride around Looe Island where there is a colony of seals

London - One Week On

I have now been in London for 8 days - what a mixture.

Peace and calm

• at Kew Gardens - Sue I have lots of pictures of frames for plants,
• Hampstead Heath and Kenwood House
• Candlelight Concert at St Martins in the Fields

Noise, very loud music

• traffic
• most shops
• on the buses.
• Soho at night

I said I needed a phrase book - a list of prices outside a hairdressing salon in Kew

ladies dry carving (regular) £107

ladies dry carving (thick) £127

It was a hairdressing salon.

While having coffee at Hampstead Heath village I saw a red double decker bus with bouquet of flowers and white ribbon on front, park across the road. A few minutes later a couple, likely to be bride and groom (very elegant) and a group of others very stylishly dressed for a Saturday afternoon came and boarded the bus. There happened to be 3 young women busking with violins playing near where the bus stopped.

London - day 5

British Library

For those with the staying power I have added a few photos to the section on Moscow metro.

Yesterday was cold and wet so I spent the morning in the British Library very near where I am staying. Outside was traffic, people, noise, and inside the walls was the Britain of terrific design, calm, quiet, space, students with lap tops plugged into cafe tables, and original pieces of writing of Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, the Magna Carta, early copies of the Bible etc.

There was also the application from Lenin to use the reading room, under a false name as a German. He stayed in a house nearby and said that as all English people thought foreigners all looked the same the landlady assumed he was German.

Emma and I saw King Lear at The Globe, it was raining and even thought we weere under cover it was cold and the poor actos were out in the rain sometimes. I really enjoyed it but I do like modern confortable theatres with a roof and central heating.

Some pictures of London

From the steps of St Martins in the Fields in the rain.

Leicester Square

House where Karl Marx stayed in Soho.

London

I have now been in London for 3 days. This is posssibly the biggest challenge so far. I seem to need an interpreter, the traffic is full on despite the congestion tax , I don't really think I can afford to eat and there is lots to see.

The train from Buxelles to London was full of school kids so it was like catching the 3.18 from Penrith to Blackheath.

It is lovely to see Emma and Andrew. They live a easy bus ride or 40 minutes walking distance from my basic room in Kings Cross. Their flat is small and in a nice area with lots of restaurants etc.

• I have mastered the oyster card to use on underground and buses - pity NSW Government can't,
• had instructions on automatic checkout in Tescos,
• been to two nice pubs with Emma and Andrew,
• attended a free organ recital in St Martin's in the Fields,
• Seen an exhibition of early women intellectuals - Bluestockings at the National Portrait Gallery
• Walked around Soho -

My accomodation in Kings Cross is well located clean, friendly and quiet however I need to arrange for accomodation when I return from Paris and the walking. This place has no vacancies so I looked at 4 others nearby. They all cost more but one has a fridge in the room and access to the kitchen however the only clothes space is one hook behind the door. Do I want a fridge or a cupboard I wonder.

Thoughts on Train Trip

To be completed