Sunrise over the English Channel on June 3, 2011.  I didn’t notice any bluebirds, but I definitely could not miss the white cliffs! And Dover Castle at the top.

Currently tourists are invited to tour the World War II secret tunnels, including protected command centers deep under the surface.  Below, reversing the perspective, from the castle to the harbour.

Above, scenes  from The Clocks, by Agatha Christie

The rose trees stand in front of Claude Monet’s pink house with green shutters at Giverny on the Seine. Here is the website of the Foundation Claude Monet for more details about the house and gardens.

I haven’t exactly formulated a Bucket List of things I MUST do, but visiting Monet’s home would definitely have been included.  I grew up loving all the Monet works in the Chicago Art Institute and loving all the stories about how the Impressionists were shunned by the Art World at first and then triumphed by becoming so popular in the 20th (and 21st) centuries that their work is almost considered low-brow all over again!  It’s that old saw: (over) familiarity breeds contempt, I guess.

Claude Monet (1840-1926) began living at Giverny in 1883, eventually purchasing the property and devoting himself to cultivating his garden and painting it for almost 43 years.  He was one of the founders of the movement known as Impressionism, and his works can be found in almost all major (and many minor) art museums in the world.  When they come on the market, they are sold for millions of dollars, pounds or euros.

While on board the ship, I read Claude and Camille by Stephanie Cowell, an engaging novel about Monet’s first love. It fit in perfectly with this visit to the house where he lived with Camille’s sons and his second wife who had a large family herself.

Though I tried to cut from my pictures as many of the visitors as I could, I thought it was quite crowded on the day we visited, but guides assured us that it was actually a slow day.  Particularly as we negotiated the rooms inside the house, it seemed packed.

No pictures were allowed inside, but I did follow many others in sneaking a shot out the window at the garden from above.  This website reveals all and will lead you to many more accounts and pictures of Monet’s life, his paintings, and his garden.

Monet was obsessed with the play of light on his subjects. He painted the same or similar scenes over and over in various light and weather conditions: haystacks, cathedral facades, landscapes, and of course, his garden.

As of June 1, 2011, an Englishman called James Priest took over as head gardener.  His background includes training at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and many years working with Gilbert Vahe, who rescued and redeveloped Monet’s Giverny gardens. 

The garden is divided by the road through the village, and the two halves — one near the house and the other mainly the pond — are joined by a walkway under the now-busy road.

The pond is much larger than I expected, with more than one little Japanese bridge — at least today.

The version of Water Lilies he painted in 1916, below, hangs in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

And below, my photo of the water lilies in the pond on June 1, 2011.

 Can you tell the difference?  And, just for good measure, here are a two more of my pond photos…

Cruising the Seine — can you think of a more beautiful place to be on a warm sunny day at the end of May? Our ship navigated the broad mouth of the river and about 75 miles of curving river from the English Channel to Rouen past an idyllic countryside of neat farms, lush fields and contented cattle, past villas and villages.

Approaching the Pont Gustave Flaubert; the vertical lift bridge across the Seine at Rouen opened in 2008. At the right is the distant steeple of the cathedral (see below). 

A passing River Cruise ship, which can fit under the bridges; we saw many of these vessels which can go at least as far up river as Paris.

Rouen being the principal city of Haute-Normandie, one might expect the half-timbered buildings — and there were plenty of them.  This one houses a Monprix, part of a large French chain, roughly comparable to Target in the U.S.

One of the city’s more famous sights is the Gross Horologe, an astronomical clock.  It reminds me that we found a McDonald’s nearby, which we were looking for to use their worldwide free wi-fi.  In the several French McDs at which we stopped, a separate coffee bar served excellent cafe au lait. Nice sipping while we caught up on e-mail.  But that brings up another question: How come ships and hotels so often charge exorbitant rates for their internet access?  And then are so slow it costs a bundle just to read a few messages — while good ol’ Mickey D’s has good wi-fi service (most places) free, whether or not you buy a Big Mac?

Rouen’s Notre Dame Cathedral (above) was damaged and almost half of the city was destroyed by allied bombing attacks during World War II.  Restoration is complete, but constant renovation and repairs are needed to keep the oldest parts of the structure, dating from the 12th century, intact.

The cathedral houses a tomb of Richard Coeur de Lion (the LionHeart) who lived from 1157-1199. Richard was King of England and Duke of Normandy; his heart is buried here though other remains are buried elsewhere.

Joan of Arc was tried and executed by burning at the stake in Rouen in 1431, not a claim to fame that is celebrated in the city.

Here is a cheerier note, taken at a flower vendor’s colorful corner.

Claude Monet painted the facade of the Cathedral over and over in varying light and weather conditions.

One of Monet’s paintings of the cathedral on a misty day hangs in the Musee des Beaux-Arts de Rouen.

The above view of the Rouen Cathedral in full sunlight (1894) by Claude Monet belongs to the Musee d’Orsay, Paris.

                                          The Courtyard restaurant of the Rouen Art Museum.

Coming soon: Visiting Monet’s Garden at Giverny