Martragny, France:  1 July 2016
Day 1
 
On the road to Giverny we saw fabulous countryside that looked totally different from where we lived in Germany.  The hillsides were much more rolling than severe and of course, the look of the country chateaus served to prompt ooos and aahhs.  None of this compared to the majesty of Monet's Garden.  Oh my goodness!  Justin was in heaven and could easily identify many of the varieties of plants and flowers.  With all the rain we've had lately, the gardens were indeed in their splendor.  A brief rain shower while we were in the Master's house was followed by hints of sunshine thus allowing another perspective of the grounds.  I might paint too if I had inspiration such as that.
Next stop, The Giverny Museum of Impressionism.  This was particularly significant for us since one of the places Justin and I went when we first met was the Chicago Art Institute which is world renowned for its collection of Impressionist pieces.  This was a small collection with an exhibit of the works of Caillebotte who is most famous for his Rue in Paris -- the iconic picture of the couple walking in the rain.
Our AirBnb for the next three nights is La Rucher de Martragny.  It is in an old French country house owned by a French farmer/entrepreneur and his French/Vietnamese wife.  Their ten-year old son and cat met us when we arrived.  What a perfect spot -- I really like it here.