Love of Monet

Thick fog on the Seine  last night: twice when I woke it was like being in a plane, I couldn’t see anything outside our windows.  When we woke up we were docked at Vernon.  This town is across the river from Giverny. Monet couldn’t afford the rent in Vernon so he stayed over there. Look up his series of paintings of the church, L’eglise de Vernon, painted from across the river in various states of illumination.
We walked around the town this morning.  Ancient leaning old half timbered houses, some of which have been restored by new owners.  It was an important center of resistance during WW II.  Very cold and grey this AM— and I forgot my long underwear!
Ian bought a very cool Logan-green hat. 
  We heard an organ concert in the church, the one Monet painted.  Just a few people in the cold Gothic stone church, you could imagine yourself back in the 17th century.  The organ sounded…flutelike to me. It’s the first time I ever understood the phrase in the Christmas carol, the “playing of the merry organ”—usually,  organs sound kinda funereal. When we re-boarded we had Glühwein waiting, so that made the cold actually pleasurable!
Then we cast off again,  on our way to Rouen. Of course that town is most famous for Joan of Arc’s execution, so we heard a presentation about the maid this afternoon. I think of Greta Thunberg scolding the UN.  I read somewhere that when a culture turns to a child for leadership,  that’s the road to annihilation—but of course Joan,  at age 16 or so,  wasnt really a “child”  back in 1430.  The significant thing about her was her virginity and her unmarried state. 
I wonder how a peasant girl learned to ride horseback well enough to lead an army while balancing a banner? I reckon she learned on those big Norman Percherons— were they extant back then? There apparently was some prophecy about a virgin saving France, which she may have,  unconsciously or knowingly,  been trying to fulfill. But any way you look at it, she was  a phenomenon.
We had a pleasant dinner with a couple from TinnuhSAY ( that’s Tennessee) and a couple of which the wife was British and the husband Greek.  Lucked out again, all compatible.
  I love hearing the different American regional accents,still very strong.
Looking forward to another night of falling asleep while cruising!