Giverny

Along with painting color blobs onsite you can't go wrong doing little 2" thumbnails at such an auspicious place like Giverny.

Try to arrive at the correct train station in Paris when heading off to Giverny. Somehow I got the bright idea to go to Gare Montparnasse. Luckily there was a direct Metro line to Saint Lazare.

Monet was kind enough to draw and paint Gare Saint Lazare as a friendly reminder..

Even the little bus trip from Vernon is bucolic...

Once off the bus just follow the crowds. Don't go exploring yet. That comes later.

Do look down as you're following the gang. The road is lined with loads if iris hither and thither...

A very nice poster that explains better than anything I've seen elsewhere what were Monet's intentions.

I found myself attracted to the less formal parts of the garden...

Where planting was in process..

Looking out the windows makes you feel you're stepping into Monet's shoes...

The walls are covered with Monet's enormous and influential Japanese woodblock collection. Hokosai's cat gazes out the window...

Can you find the cat in Monet's egg yolk yellow kitchen?

Looking much like the cat in the print but now taking a nap on a peony pink poof...

It's peony season at Monet's Maison by the way. Check the flowering calendar.

I took the less traveled path by chance over the lily ponds.

There are plenty of quiet empty places no matter how many visiters...such a spacious garden.

The gift shop is spacious too but not a Monet dish towel in sight...

This book on Giverny is gorgeous by Fabrice Moireau.

And you can take home your own mini version of Monet's chat.