As I grew up, with my head buried in books, and my ears pealed to the tales woven by my history teacher (I took both Ancient and Modern), Laurie Field, one form of words exploded my imagination like no other: Bois de Boulogne. This coincided with the period where I was captivated by both Heminway and Fitzgerald and that lot of writers who haunted the cafes of Paris in the '20s. And they frequented the racecourse at Longchamps, part of the woods.
Today, early - well early for me - I took the metro from Varenne on Line 13, changed at Clemenceau to Line 1 and went all the way out West nearly to La Defense. Alighting at Pont de Neuilly, I swapped to Bus 43 which dropped me about a kilometre from Parc de Bagatelle, part of the Bois. I will take you along with me for the next couple of days. Let's start with that most spendid symbol of decadence: the peacock. The woods resounds with their startling call.
15 comments:
Beautiful, esp. the top one. I love peacocks and you rarely see them here.
Wow, that's a lot of travel in one day, and then you had to go back, but of course the Bois de Boulogne was worth it, right?
Love your peacock photos. Isn't it amazing to see a peacock in a tree? Imagine them flying!
-- K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
You are doing well Julie - finding your way around on the metro - it opens up so many opportunities to visit the different area of that beautiful city - on my last visit I managed to get myself pleasantly lost on more than one occassion.
Love the peacocks in the Bois.
I look forward to more photos....I love these gardens, I have been there twice, once when the roses were at their very best and then last year in Autumn....it was beautiful on both visits!!!
I bet you had a great day!!!
Oh wow!
Isn't he just extraordinary?
I'm sure the peacocks I've seen were never that blue.
(you know those eggs I made - well they are protected by my easter peacock and he's got little blue things on his head just like this fella).
You know what I know about Bois de Boulogne?
Nuthin!
How come no one ever told me about it before??!!
I like the first shot very much. You are where I used to run once a week...
That top one is just wonderful. It's almost hallucinatory, acid-trippy. Makes ne think of Gustav Klimpt.
I'm with the others. The top pic is stunning Julie. Enjoy the rest of your stay!
Ahha ... a combination of awarenesses ... I am sure there is an appropriate collective noun for this!
Ann - I think my first ever Peacock was on the walk out to the Launceston falls, of all places.
Kay - It looked like a long way, but not really. I would have loved to have experienced one in flight.
Dianne - I try to orient myself all the time, but find myself turned around most days. I do not like the concept of 'feeling lost'.
Linda - I would simply love to be here in summer for the roses. At the moment, it is the tulip's month to shine. All the daffodil's are nought but dead heads. Next come the Iris's during May. Then the roses. The plantings are so carefully orchestrated.
Letty - Stick wid me, Kid. I'll teach you about de woods! You realise they are mostly meadows and flowers, right? I though ot of your every which way I turned. Espevially when I walked into the iris garden.
Therese - There were people running all through the Longchamps area. So many people running ... and with model aeroplanes ... and sitting in the sun ... and so many people wandering through Bagatelle.
Bob - Yes, I can see the link with Klimt. But what would I know about acid tripping??!!
You know, I have not put my head into a single art gallery this trip. Not ordained thus. The only church I have entered was for an organ recital. Although that will alter over Easter, not that I am religious. All in the name of my photographic art ...
You sure are adventurous on the public transport. I admire your guts. The peacock pics are gorgeous.
wow....
Love the top pic........stunning
Peacocks are absolutely gorgeous birds...and you have captured their beauty well!!!
Magnificent colour, luster and symmetry in the feathers.
Peacocks are my favourite birds ... and your close up of the feathers explains why. Another reason is that they typically strut around beautiful gardens.
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