Happy Bastille Day! It's like the 4th of July around here today -- except times 1000! If you'd like to read more about Bastille Day, here's a quick overview: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille_Day . They had so many roads and metros shut down and military flyovers and all the things. And... aside from it making getting from one place to the other more difficult, I didn't participate in any of that craziness -- I headed out of town! Our students had the day off from class and many of them are going adventuring this weekend, so I did, too.
I prearranged a tour with Blue Fox Travel (who were very good, if you happen to find yourself in Paris) to go see Monet's Gardens in Giverny. Giverny is about an hour's drive from Paris and while you can get there by train, it was helpful to have someone to not only get us there, but also share stories along the way. AND YES! We saw the famous bridge and the famous water lily pond!!! Our tour guide, Ella, said Monet was as much a gardener as he was a painter -- and after seeing his house, I can totally believe that. Here's a quick overview of Monet's life: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Monet. Yesterday's gardens at Versailles were amazing, but today's were simply stunning. I didn't find the house itself to be anything special, although I did really like his sunny yellow dining room and baby blue kitchen. We went to the gravesite of Monet, and also saw a grave of English soldiers who gave their lives during WWII. Ella shared a bit about how France was divided during WWI between sympathizers and resisters...and how that caused tension and conflict with many in France at the time. I took a lot of pictures of the day thinking of my friends and family who love flowers-- so, if you don't like those, just scroll on by.
When we got back to Paris, I decided to walk back to my apartment -- a little over an hour's walk (without closed street detours). It was fun to see some new sights and check out some new shops along the way. At more than 16,000 steps, I was done once I finally made it!
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