I fall in love too quickly. It is a great weakness in my character, but at least I think I have good taste. That said, I have been vaguely attracted to Claude as long as I can remember, adoring the smoke-stained print of his Nymphéas that hung in our living room on Baronne Street. Our affair began in earnest when I was about 12 and picked up a book on Impressionism. When I was 15 and saw his waterlilies with Mlle. Em in Chicago, I could have died happy right then and there. When I went to see her again last year, I dragged her back to that painting three times. (She is, as I have said before, a saint.)
So when Educo put us all on a bus to Giverny, I was giddy with excitement - Other tourists? What other tourists? - For once, I did not notice the hoard of fanny packs and water bottles and even the jet lagged toddlers seemed to scream more quietly - What's that? You mean we GET TO GO INTO HIS HOUSE?!? Yes, please!
Again, my camera was relatively uncooperative (and I am the definition of an amateur photographer) but it was too beautiful to mess up. Here is a sample of the 403849234 pictures I took.
It is strictly forbidden to take pictures inside of his house, so all I can say is that it was a riot of color - copper pots accenting electric blue walls in the kitchen, yellow EVERYTHING in the dining room - and there is Japanese art everywhere. He liked the Edo-era prints, too! See, we are soulmates!
Also, according to our tour guide, his favorite dessert was banana ice cream. The man had taste.
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