Category: Europe

🌺 A Visit to Monet’s House and Gardens, Giverny 🌺

Day Two

My friends had planned a day out of Paris today to see the house and gardens of Monet. It would take around 90 minutes to get there by metro and overground train. Once off the train there is a shuttle bus that takes you directly to the house and gardens. As there was a queue to enter we decided on lunch first. There were many places to choose and all looked so quaint. We settled on one by the entrance and I had the largest omelette, cannot imagine how many eggs were used.

‘My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece. I can only draw what I see. Everything I have earned has gone into these gardens. It took me time to understand my waterlilies.“

No Perth!

Monet’s House

Claude Monet lived in his house in Giverny for forty-three years, from 1883 to 1926. You can see and feel his passion for gardening as you walk through the beautifully planned gardens and especially the water gardens.
The windows of the house all look out onto the garden and I could imagine sitting there with a summer breeze gazing out onto this spectacular array of colour.

Looking Out

Looking In

Exquisitely decorated rooms, my favourite was the kitchen with the blue tiled fireplace.

After we had wandered through the house we ventured out into the gardens and down to the water gardens.

“I am following Nature without being able to grasp her… I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.“

I must have flowers. Always and always. Water Lilies’ is an extension of my life. Without the water the lilies cannot live, as I am without art.

“The richness I achieve comes from nature, the source of my inspiration”

Finishing up in the gardens we had a wander through the village just outside the grounds. We saw some beautiful ivy clad houses, including the mayor’s. There were many art galleries as you would expect displaying all of Monet’s works.

The Mayor’s House

The famous Hotel Baudy, once a humble grocers and cafe owned by Angelina and Gaston Baudy. In 1886 Willard Metcalfe, a young American painter living in Paris, came looking for accommodation but was turned away by Mrs. Baudy as she only had the one bed. Many months later he returned with a group of artists and Mr. and Mrs. Baudy gave up their house and stayed with a neighbour. Realising they had a new potential business on their hands they turned their house into a hotel. Over the years this hotel housed many famous painters such as Paul Cézanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

We had an incredible day here and I’m so glad my friend made the suggestion. It wasn’t something that was on my agenda and was a wonderful surprise.

🗼Paris in a Day – Hop on, Hop off 🗼

Day One

With only three days in Paris, there’s no better way to see all the sights than on a hop on/hop off bus. Nowadays with many people travelling and the need to book online for tickets and a time slot, I decided not to do any major attractions but to just enjoy being in Paris.

My friend Rita met me at my hotel, after a decadent breakfast. I have to say I chose well as it’s a delightful hotel. A small boutique hotel with a lovely seating area at the front and a dining room in the basement.

Dining Area
Breakfast
Breakfast
Tiny bar
Wrought iron staircase

We first walked over to Notre Dame and saw the work in progress after the fire in 2019. There was so much to see, and I was stopping all the time to take photos. Some of the streets we walked down looked like they belonged to an old style Paris of the 1950’s, with cute window boxes and old fashioned pastry stores. Tranquil parks and men reading newspapers.

  • Mechanical sculpture – The Centaur
  • Is this Alfred Hitchcock?
  • So French!
  • Odette, a famous patiserie
  • Notre Dame
  • Square Rene Viviani

The Dame herself! With a crane in the background as the work still has a way to go yet.

Tuileries Garden

Before we hopped on a bus we stopped and had lunch in Tuileries Garden. My friend is a huge walker and I wasn’t sure if I could keep up with her pace which was super fast.

From the bus

College des Quatre-Nations
Palais Bourbon
Eiffel Tower
Trocadero Square
Eiffel Tower
Hotel des Invalides
Petit Palais
Palais Garnier
Arc de Triomphe

We did alight a few times, once to walk a little way down the Champs-Elysees and again to take a few shots of the Louvre. It was great fun being on top of the bus at the front and going around the famous Arc de Triomphe roundabout.

Louvre

By now it was late afternoon, meaning it was almost happy hour! So we jumped on the bus again and headed to Galerie Lafayette. Sadly not much time for shopping but to treat ourselves to a champagne in one of the many bars and restaurants they have.

Rooftop Views over Paris

The incredible neo-Byzatine-infused polychrome glass cupola created by master glassworker Jacques Gruber. It really was a sight to behold and I could have stood for ages looking up. It’s a place where you could easily spend half a day or more. Lunching, shopping, drinking and spending big bucks!

It was back to the hotel after this for a short rest before dinner. We ate at a place called Le Machon d’Henri but not before stopping at a magnificent church on the way.

Saint Sulpice Organ
From Saint Sulpice
Saint Sulpice Church

The Saint Sulpice Church’s claim to fame is the organ inside and also where some of The Da Vinci Code was filmed. The organ is supposedly the largest in the world with its 6,600 pipes.

Le Machon d’Henry

I think we had covered enough for one day, and even though we did use the bus I still clocked up an incredible 14,000 steps.

I hope you’ll stay with me for the rest of my trip to Paris and if you’ve got this far thank you for reading.

~ Post from Perth – Weekly Catch up ~

It’s been almost a week now since I returned from the UK. The jet lag this time has taken longer than usual, and I’m in danger of getting in a loop, going to bed early and having a nap in the day! It has to stop. For the first few days I generally take a sleeping tablet, but that’s something I don’t want to get used to. Hopefully I will return to normal soon.

Last photo from the UK

So where has the week gone? I took it easy on Monday and was supposed to unpack, I will finish it soon just a case (no pun intended) of putting the clothes away.

Tuesday I was back at the Bridge table and after drove straight to my daughter’s for a spot of babysitting. Wednesday I had Rosie again for a few hours, Lachie has started school and I will miss my munchkin Mondays.

Thursday and Friday more Bridge, no wonder I haven’t fully unpacked!

View from the terrace where I play Bridge

Being back in Perth is wonderful, my dear hubby has missed me and is glad to have me back. I have missed the sun and the warm weather, I can’t cope with English winters anymore.

Photos for Natalie’s Public Art Challenge

On my last day in Dublin I went for a walk near the hotel to have a look at the murals located on the walls of The Icon Walk.

Left – Gabriel Byrne – hosted The Late Late Show on a Saturday night, known as The Housewife’s Choice and a gentle shepherd.
Middle – Thomas Crean (1877 – 1938) – Explored the Antarctic three times with Scott and Shackleton. Awarded the Albert Medal for bravery
Right – “Priests on a remote island off the coast of Ireland managed to encapsulate Ireland’s changing consciousness about the church and that delicate matter, that, the anoited ones might be as imperfect as the rest of us; only funnier”

Benjy Riordan
James Joyce – 1882 – 1941
Patrick Kavanagh – 1904 – 1967
Flann O’Brien 1911 – 1966
Edna O’Brien – 1930
Aged 92 today

This was a lovely walk and I wish I had had more time to properly look at all the descriptions of the various artists. Ireland has produced so many famous authors over the decades and continue to do so. My favourites are Dervla McTiernan, Claire Keegan and Marian Keyes.

🥃 Delights of Dublin – Day Three – The Spirit of Dublin 🥃

“The Light Music of Whiskey Falling into a Glass – An Agreeable Interlude” – James Joyce

I always like to go on a Hop on Hop off bus whenever I’m in a new city, it’s a good way of seeing everything and hopping off whenever something takes your interest. So today that’s what we decided to do, I had a few places in mind I wanted to visit. Dublin Castle, Phoenix Park and the Guiness Store. We walked over to Dublin Castle but didn’t go inside and then onto the City Hall.

Dublin Castle
There’s always one!

City Hall

Dublin City Hall was built between 1769 and 1779 and was originally used as a financial centre by the merchants of Dublin. Twelve columns support the dome of the Rotunda and the mosaic floor depicts the Coat of Arms of Dublin. A truly breathtaking building.

After this we hopped on our bus and our first stop was Teeling’s Distillery, not somewhere we had planned on going but our driver said there was a lovely coffee shop there, so we decided on a quick stop.

While we were drinking our coffee a very dapper old gentleman came up to us and wished us a “top of the morning, ladies”. He said he hoped we would be going upstairs for a proper coffee, and then introduced himself as John Teeling, the man himself. When we said we were not whiskey drinkers (blasphemy, indeed) he insisted that we follow him immediately. With that we were whisked through the entrance, no ticket required and he proceeded to give us a private tour, we actually interrupted a fully paid up tour and our man introduced us all to everyone.

While he was giving us a very in depth talk of how the place started and the way whiskey is made, I took photos of the beautiful artwork adorning the walls.

“Whiskey is Liquid Sunshine” – George Bernard Shaw

Entering the distilling plant itself we were met with a very earthy aroma! We peeked inside the fermenting mixer and watched the grains being mashed.

Next up was the distillery room itself, where the whiskey is distilled in the vast copper pots. Mr. Teeling proudly showed us the three huge copper pots with brass name plates and lo and behold there was one name after me! Well not me personally but his granddaughter.

Moving on to the bar itself, I think Mr. Teeling’s favourite place, judging by his enthusiasm to get us up there and insisting that we have an Irish Coffee. As we sat at the bar watching the barman make us very extravagant coffees, I was hoping fervently that our man wouldn’t stand around and make us drink every drop.

The Perfect Pour

I managed a quarter, which was good going as I’ve never drank whiskey in my life.

We all agreed that this was a highlight of our trip, we’ve obviously still got that certain je ne sais quoi!

Phoenix Park was next up our our tour, but when we arrived the bus driver turned at the start of the park and drove back! Deciding it was far too long to make the trek to the entrance we had a quick walk and waited for the next bus.

Getting off at the Epic Centre we had a quick coffee stop and then proceeded to walk along the river, over the Sean O’Casey Bridge and back to our hotel.

Sean Heuston Bridge from the bus

Sculptures depicting the Great Famine – 1845 to 1852, a period of starvation and disease due to the potato blight. A truly terrible time to be alive.

Samuel Beckett Bridge

I hope you’ve enjoyed these three days in Dublin with me, I have many more photos but will post these another day! I think enough is enough at this stage. I’ll finish with one last quote:

“What Whiskey will not cure, there is no cure for” – Irish Proverb

Delights of Dublin – Day Two

Meeting up at 10 am in the lobby we headed off in the direction of the river with a stop for coffee and a bowl of porridge for me! It was a very chilly 5 degrees so I made sure I was well rugged up.

River Liffey
On the Ha’penny Bridge
Posing with the locals
Heading to Trinity College

One place I was interested in seeing was The Book of Kells, located in Trinity College. So we walked over to see about tours and tickets. There was no ticket office only an app to scan to buy tickets. What a palaver to do this, and we weren’t the only ones finding this difficult. Finally we managed to download all tickets and headed off to wait for our time slot.

The Book of Kells

The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament. It was created in a Columban monastery in either Ireland, Scotland or England. It is believed to have been created around 800 AD. It takes its name from the Abbey of Kells, County Meath which was its home for centuries.

The book itself is kept under a large dome, with just a different page being turned each day. No photography is allowed of the book itself.

For me to think of a book like this that has lasted for centuries, through wars and pillaging is astounding. How was it hidden and preserved all these years? That is something that is not really known.

The illustrations and ornamentation of the Book of Kells surpass those of other Insular Gospel books in extravagance and complexity. The decoration combines traditional Christian iconography with the ornate swirling motifs typical of Insular art. Figures of humans, animals and mythical beasts, together with Celtic knots and interlacing patterns in vibrant colours, enliven the manuscript’s pages. Many of these minor decorative elements are imbued with Christian symbolism and so further emphasise the themes of the major illustrations. Source – Wikipedia.

Pages of the book are enlarged with descriptions next to each illustration. The paintings are wonderful to see and the more look the more you see!

It took me a while to find all the images mentioned in the page next to this painting.

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After this we walked around to The Long Room, the main chamber of the Old Library. This room is nearly 65 metres in length, it is filled with 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books and is one of the most impressive libraries in the world. The books are still used by the students of the college.

The Long Room
Old Wooden Ladders
Wrought Iron Staircase
“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing”
“When the mind is thinking it is talking to itself.”

The Grounds of Trinity College

Sphere within Sphere and me!

Lunchtime was looming and stomachs were rumbling so we went in search of a pub, not that hard in Dublin. We found a French named Irish pub, where we had a hearty mushroom soup.

We had a walk to St. Stephen’s Green next and to have a look at the prestigious Georgian houses surrounding the green.

Scenes from the streets

  • Umbrellas up high
  • The iconic flower stalls
  • Clocks and Signs
  • Georgian Doors
  • Fancy Door Knobs
  • Ornate iron lamp posts with seahorses –
    Irish Parliament
  • Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre
  • “They lived and laughed and loved and left.”  –
    James Joyce

In the wake of all the walking we went back to the hotel for a well earned rest before agreeing to meet later for drinks and dinner.

Dinner, bars and bands

Tonight we were venturing to Roberta’s, an Italian restaurant within walking distance of our hotel. The reviews said it was noisy but the food was good, it also mentioned a glass atrium.

We had a table near the bar area and noticed an engagement was in place. We got chatting to the bride to be, I think she was glad of a chance to take the weight off her feet as she sat down and gave us her life story!

  • Sicilian Hake, saffron, orange, chickpea, baby spinach and gold almonds

It was time to sample one of the bars that Temple Street is so famous for. We opted for The Temple Bar Pub and squeezed our way to the bar! I hadn’t been to a place this packed since my twenties. Not a place to go if you are claustrophobic! Everyone was singing and laughing and it did feel like gatecrashing a party in full swing.

Stools in front of the band!
A great rendition of I’m a Believer

Walking back to our hotel

A marvellous second day filled to the brim with sights and sounds, delicious food, wonderful company and fantastic entertainment.

And to finish with a very apt quote

“Work is the curse of the Drinking Classes”
Oscar Wilde

~ Delights of Dublin in Three Days ~

“The World is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper” – W.B. Yeats

First Night

During my stay in the UK I took the chance to hop across the Channel to see my neighbour and friend from Perth. She was also on a visit back to her home country.

I flew Ryan Air from Stansted Airport, being the most convenient for me. I meticulously measured my case and bag and weighed each but wasn’t challenged on either. An hour or two on these flights is enough as they are not made for comfort.

  • Starting the trip right at Weatherspoons

First views of Dublin

We were staying in the infamous Temple Bar area at the Temple Bar Hotel. I had a room overlooking the street on the fourth floor. It could have been in the bar itself for all noise at night!

Our first night’s dinner was at the Fire Steakhouse and Bar, the most impressive restaurant I’ve ever been in. With incredible vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows, it feels as if you are an art museum. It is built next to the Mansion House, the residence of the Lord Mayor. He is often known to have dinner in the Supper Room.

  • Roast whole flat Irish sea fish of the day,
    Sun-blush tomato & thyme brown butter, spinach
Outside the Lord Mayor’s Residence

Of course we couldn’t end the night there, so Brigid suggested a bar for a cocktail, and never one to turn down a cocktail off we went.

We walked to the iconic Cafe En Seine, a fantastically art nouveau style bar housed in an historic building. Complete with doric columns and glass panelled ceilings, there were booths to sit in or small cosy corners in front of fireplaces.

Wood and glass panelled bar
Pull up a seat
Cosy Corners
Two elegant ladies

Dublin is enveloped in history and tomorrow I plan to explore the sights this wonderful town has to offer. (For Marsha’s Wednesday Quotes)

San Sebastian – Past Squares

I have decided to go with one of Becky’s suggestions for PastSquares – posts that didn’t receive much recognition. We visited San Sebastian a few years ago when I had just created a blog, so maybe understandable that this post didn’t receive much attention. Below are some of the photos from that trip.

This was a fantastic road trip from Biarritz to Porto. A combination of driving a hire care and hoping on and off Flix buses. Hopefully we can do another road trip around Europe one day.

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It’s All Water Over the Falls

Isn’t it odd that waterfalls are white when water is colourless!

Gullfoss Waterfalls, Iceland

Gullfoss Waterfalls, Iceland
Gullfoss Waterfalls, Iceland
Kuang Si Falls, Laos

Click on the links to see my travels to these places

My Six Word Saturday Challenge, Water Water Everywhere and White for Jude.

Challenge your Camera – Steps ‘n Stairs

This week’s challenge from Dr. B’s Challenge your Camera is Steps and Stairs. We are in a five day lockdown here in Perth, so this is keeping me busy.

Peeping through the gap to the A Ma Temple
Built for the Chinese sea-goddess Mazu located in São Lourenço, Macau, Built in 1488, the temple is one of the oldest in Macau
  • Descending the stairs inside the Sea Princess
  • Sitting on the steps near the Guia Lighthouse, Macau

Moving stairs inside HSBC Building in Hong Kong

  • Wooden log stairs down to a cafe in Hue, Vietnam
  • Old brick stairs inside Kotor Old Town, Montenegro

Looking back at these photos makes me wonder when we will be able to start travelling again, it’s been a while!

You Can Go Your Own Way

My post for “Six Word Saturday”

Crossing the Oresund Bridge

The Oresund Bridge gained fame from the Scandi Noir series, The Bridge. One of my favourite TV shows featuring the quirky Saga Noren. After our trip to Gothenburg we decided to head over to Copenhagen and I was very excited to take the bus which would involve driving over the bridge.

The Oresund Bridge is a combined railway and motor bridge and spans 8 kilometres between Malmo and Copenhagen. It goes through the manmade island of Peberholm, which is home to hundreds of species of animals and plants.

It takes around five hours to travel by bus from Gothenburg to Copenhagen compared to 4 1/2 hours by train. However I think you get to see more from the bus.

Do you prefer bus or train travel when travelling overland?