Giverny & Monet's Garden

...was all it promised to be and then some. Here's the man himself - this portrait shot is in the entrance to the toilets!

The gardens themselves [once the first wave of tourists have hopped back onto their coaches to complete the 'doing' of France and Belgium before dinner] are a riot of colour and an oasis of calm. It's an achingly beautiful, serene setting in which you can imagine creativity flourishing. Without the crowds, I can imagine the surroundings providing the perfect environment to encourage you to really strive to capture the essence of the place.

Pictures don't do it justice of course, but here are a few anyway...

That's his house, which is open to the public. Here's his study:

And finally - a French bee with target clearly in mind.