“Critic asks: ‘And what, sir, is the subject matter of that painting?’ The subject matter, my dear good fellow, is the light.” ~Claude Monet It’s a funny thing when you visit a place that has lived for so long in your imagination. The experience expands your mind and spirit, filling you with new insights, inspiration … Read More
Les Andelys (pronounced An-de-lee) is a place that had never made itself known on my travel radar. But after spending some time here, I’m very happy to have made its acquaintance. The French commune of two parts – Grand-Andely and Petit-Andely – sits along a sweeping curve in the Seine River in a scenic part … Read More
Rain was falling in a steady rhythm as we settled into our seats for the two-hour bus ride. It was the first stormy weather Herb and I had encountered since traveling in France, and in a way, it was a fitting backdrop for our somber destination. We were headed from the port of Caudebec-en-Caux to … Read More
“It was now autumn, and I made up my mind to make, before winter set in, an excursion across Normandy, a country with which I was not acquainted. It must be borne in mind that I began with Rouen, and for a week I wandered about enthusiastic with admiration, in that picturesque town of the … Read More
“Said the river: imagine everything you can imagine, then keep on going.” ~Mary Oliver, At The River Clarion After our tour of Versailles, we were back on the riverboat, on our way to Rouen. The ms Sapphire would be cruising during daylight hours, and Herb and I were looking forward to spending the afternoon on … Read More
When it comes to palaces, it’s fairly safe to say that the Palace of Versailles is the gold standard. Two thousand three hundred rooms. A hall of mirrors. Two thousand acres of fountain-filled gardens. A Venetian-inspired Grand Canal, perfect for boating. Even a maze. And all that gold. It seems that whatever Louis XIV could … Read More
On a sunny January morning in 2017, Herb and I were walking through La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina. With marble mausoleums that looked like houses lined up on narrow streets and tree-filled grounds dotting the landscape, La Recoleta seemed more like an elegant city than a final resting place. Mausoleums were architecturally elaborate, … Read More
It was mid-afternoon when we boarded the ms Sapphire riverboat at a pier on the western end of Paris, and within a couple of hours we found ourselves heading back to the city. Herb and I had signed on with Tauck Tours for seven-night cruise along the Seine River, with stops along the way to … Read More
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~Pablo Picasso It’s hard to imagine a more prolific place and time for artists than Montmartre in the Belle Époque. From around 1872 to 1914, the high hill in Paris’ 18th arrondissement was home to a proverbial Who’s Who of the world’s greatest painters. … Read More
“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” ~Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast The sun was reflecting off the Louvre’s glass pyramid, casting shadows along marbled monuments, dancing through … Read More