June 14, 2015

This morning I stayed in the cabin and didn't join Michael for breakfast until later as I had some time to send stuff.  We slowed down in the middle of the morning in front of another medieval castle fronted by a huge 15th century building.  Christoph began to tell us about how the keep had been much higher and all the fortification that was done there and suddenly I was hearing the blah, la la, going on and as it was brisk, the first after some very warm days I went downstairs to get ready for the talk about Paris and finish writing.

We are now in Conflans Saint Honorine. That is a cute little village along the Seine which is a start for our bus trip to Auvers sur Oise. This is where Van Gogh spent the last years of his life painting his many most wonderful works,  big goose-bumps rise for only the thought of hype art from this troubled genius.  Crows in the Wheat fields, here I come!!

Later.........

Well it wasn't quite what I thought it would be but still very interesting. We were at the place where he was so troubled and painted almost 80 pictures, one a day before he killed himself. You always hear how he cut his ear off and I always thought the whole thing but it was just the lobe. (I think his self-portrait makes it look more serious. He did it shaving on Christmas and wrapped it in a box and had a kid deliver it to his hooker friend. Too much abinsinth I think. Sorry about spelling! No wonder he was rejected. The poor guy's genius was never appreciated in his lifetime. Pretty sad! We hiked up the hill to see the back of the house where he killed himself, the church he painted, and the cemetery where he and his brother Theo were buried. I was hoping we would exit through a gift shop like Monet's and Disneyland, but no such luck.

Dinner was Chicken Caesar Salad; delicious except for a big anchovy I was supposed to cut up in it. I didn't know about it and took it one bite thinking it was chicken!  Yuck!  At least it wasn't my last bite so I was able to get the taste out of my mouth. It will seem very different when I get home and have to cut down on food and won't be having glasses of wine. Do you know what the French call "a meal without wine"?                         ...Breakfast!

Anyway, the hot appetizer was the best thing EVER! I got the recipe to try at home! Escargots a la Bourguigonne",  baked snails Burgundy Style with Garlic and Herbs. Delicious! I don't know where I'll find the snails but I'm sure I can get them somewhere besides my garden! I also had Cordon Blue and for dessert nut ice cream with Crocant Carmel and Whipped Cream or homemade lemon pie with blueberry sauce and fresh fruits. At our table we chose BOTH!

The program that evening was the best yet: a lady named Evelyne who was a great singer. She sang songs from all over the world. She had an amazing voice and was such a character. Her husband accompanied her without a smile....such a droll look. She would tell him to smile as he was bringing everyone down and he tried but that just wasn't his way. She especially tuned in to Bruce when there was audience participation and had us all laughing. She got Vic in the game as well as Marilyn who we met on this trip. The ship sailed to Paris at 2:00 a.m.

I was so tired that I didn't bother to write so am wrong this a day late an now I'm too tired to write about today. Well it will be a busy one but maybe I'll write tomorrow.

Love,   Grove      Goodbye Claude... Hello Vincent!

 

 

Church In Vernon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Old Windows Were Destroyed.

New Ones Are In Impressionist Mode.

See The Difference?

 

 

 

 

 

The Courthouse

...And Van Gogh's Painting Of The Courthouse

 

 

The Church

...And Van Gogh's Painting Of The Church

 

Goodbye Vincent

Vincent Van Gogh's grave, next to his brother Theodore, who died soon after Vincent. Theodore was first buried elsewhere, but his wife had his body moved to be by Vincent. The two graves are covered with ivy so they will stay green.

 

The Edith Piaf Show