We'll always have Paris!

Knitting projects
blanket for twins
blue sweater


Twenty four years ago two of us bravely set off for Paris.  Two young historians keen to discover an extraordinary city.   We thought it would be a good time to visit - celebrate 200 years of the Revolution.  What we did not expect was that a lot of Paris would be 'ferme par la  Revolution' as we put it. Much was closed while the Parisians prepared for celebrating the Revolution.  Fortunately that did not include the Eiffel Tower, a mere baby at 100 years old but it did include the Louvre.

That visit gave me one my art highlights of a lifetime.  Rather cold and fed up we dived into the l'Orangerie as it was there and open.  We wondered around upstairs and then made our way downstairs.  I didn't know about Monet's huge waterlilly pictures and there they were.  Breathtaking.  Any time you see them they take you to another world, the peace, beauty and size are overwhelming but to see them for the first time particularly when you didn't know they were there ...

Twenty-four years on we were back.  L'Orangerie has been rebuilt, there is now a collection of impressionists and it is still one of my favourite galleries in the world. This time it is Notre Dame's turn to celebrate.  850 years old and no it is not closed ...

Slightly different perspectives - a reunion, a break and some opera.  Back in Paris and back to Wagner.  This time Walkyrie.  A few naked men but no dancing sperm (a Bayreuth abomination) - a simple production depending on musicality, light and above all great acting.  Have booked for the rest of the cycle.  My travelling extravagance of the year.

We travelled out to Fontainebleu.  Last time it was Versailles.  I hadn't realised how much of Napoleon there was there.  For the first time it struck me - just how much pomp and riches he surrounded himself with.  I wondered why it didn't seem to cause more resentment.  After all the French had only just got rid of one King and now they had an Emperor!

We've agreed - we'll always have Paris and we'll be back in 24 years time!

As for the knitting, back done of vivid blue sweater and on the outbound Eurostar I finished the final square of the blanket.  On the return I finished the embroidery.  Border and final seams to go!