JULY 15

Monet’s garden

The garden was absolutely beautiful. I just kept thinking about how much my mom would have loved to see the garden and the pond. She has always had a green thumb. Me, well, let’s just say I try but nothing last too long around me. I tend to love too much, meaning I think I drowned the poor thing and overwater them.

 

There must have been over 200 types of flowers. I say four different types of lilly’s alone. The house was not as elaborate as I thought it would have been. The walls were highly decorated in Japanese art, I never knew that monet was so highly influenced with Japanese history. His paintings were displayed over every inch of the walls. I couldn’t help but stare. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? I felt like I melted right into some of them like on Mary Poppins when she jumps into the painting. The paintings of the lilly pads in the pond were my favorite for sure.

 

The garden was fantastic, but once is enough for me. Next we were off to Rouen!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Rouen

 

At the age of 14 she heard voices. At the age of 15 she built up enough courage to talk to the king. At the age of 16 she lead an army into war and at the age of 17 she died after being captured, tried for heresy and then burned at the stake.

 

On her last battle she laid down her sword and said she stopped hearing the voices so she will fight no more. A King wanted her to fight so deeply though that he begged and pleaded until she could not refuse. When she was captured the King did not even do anything to save her. What a jerk.

 

I don’t think that I could ever have the courage to lead an army or die the way jone did. Then again, she had God on her side. Some say she was blessed and some say she was crazy.

 

Once again I was in astonishment of the history behind the walls. If only they could talk. I saw the Cathedral where she was tried. Then I saw city hall and how magnificent the architecture around it was. A huge statue of napoleon was right outside stretching 20 feet high.

 

Shopping was the next little adventure on my list. Just a few minutes was all I needed to find a few things. That’s all the shopping I plan to do on this trip so It was nice to consolidate it and get it done quickly.