Bloomin' France

Truly amazing, these little heart shaped flowers caught my eye in the garden of Monet.  If I can find them I will try and grow them, somehow I think they belong to France they suit each other.  The country is so lovely and the gardens some of the best I have seen in my brief travels.  I live in a city called the Garden City and we have a large carnival in September, spring here in Australia, devoted to the beautiful gardens we have here.  I love gardening myself and both Adrian and I have huge plans for our little plot of earth.  Which by the way has begun with my back breaking weeding of the clover and dandelions that have take over the lawn.  But even so our gardens pale a little beside the beautifu Monet garden in Giverny.

The lake so famous for Monet's lily painting is just delightful.  The reflections mesmerising.

Some of these plants so exotic and amazing to look at.  I could have wandered and sat and gazed for hours, but the tour called and once again we had to move on, such a shame.

The beautiful blooms though were not confined just to gardens but sidewalks and florists also.  Flowers in buckets, and market places, the sweet scents wafting in the air.  The men and women loaded up with bouquets, for a loved one or their own homes.  France is awash with beautiful blooms.

Monet's garden and Pigalle's red lights

Monet's Garden and Chateau in Giverny a beautiful interlude on any trip to France.  The famous lily pond immortalised by Monet was sans the lilies this time but oh how beautiful anyway.

The many beautiful flowering trees and shrubs made me sigh what a lot of photos to take.  In my mind I imagined what it was like for Monet with his 8 children and wife to take time and create this wonder.

So from the beauty of Monet's garden to the grittiness of Paris's red light district, right on our doorstep here in Montmartre.  Pigalle the home of Moulin Rouge, and seedy sex shops and the Musee of Erotic Art.  Hmm interesting, we had to go look didn't we.

This neighbourhood is brimming with life.  Seehting crowds straggle down from Place Du Tertre the home of the artisit.  Literally squeezing through here is a huge job.  Artists, good and bad sell there wares, portraits, carictatures, cityscapes, it is here for you to take home.

This museum is in Pigalle and the pictures and artwork in the window are enough for me to know I would be very uncomfortable inside.  So we wandered on.

You can see the crowds are huge.  Everyone searching for their favourite artist.

You can see Pigalle (Pig Alley) in the olden days is an interesting place. 

Montemartre may have Pigalle on her doorstep but she also has some delicious cakes.  We ate the curly Rose du Table a sweet honey covered pastry yum finger licking good.