The park was quiet except for multitudes of joggers (loved the T-shirt "100% pur boeuf"), cyclists and dog-walkers.
We wandered in through the Hippodrome d'Auteuil and watched the golfers on an adjoining, very lush driving range. Brent darted around like a squirrel collecting nuts and gathered up a handful of Golf du Bois de Boulogne golf balls for Papa George! Not sure if they will help your game, Dad, but you can always yell "gare!" and hope the other golfers know what you mean!
Once we reached the end of the Bois we wandered around the Jardin des Poetes where quotations of French poets are inscribed in metal plaques throughout the park. We did our best to understand the French words, but I think we may have given some new meaning to old verse!
It was a gorgeous day for walking and the weather forecast for the rest of the week is good too, clear and 23 degrees. Parfait for travellers in the last days of their journey...
3 comments:
Good thought, Brent, just what I need, practice balls - if they fly straight, I will be happy to call out 'gare'. Geo.
I believe it is tres difficile to translate French poetry to English, but well worth trying, and you probably have given new meaning to old verse. L.
Hi Sally and Brent
I am not a French expert but I think I can help with the translation on that last metal plaque. I understand why it may have been confusing as it is actually a headstone with an epitaph engraved on it. Apparently it was not uncommon in the early 1900's for people to be buried on public land as gravesites were scarce and often too expensive for common workers. It is the grave of Tristan Klingsor - The Sauce-maker and it roughly translates as follows:
In the War when supplies were quite low,
Tristan looked down at his toes,
From his footwear made stock,
But he choked on a sock,
And they buried him under this rock.
Hope this has cleared up that little mystery and if there are any another tricky translations I would be happy to help out.
I was most impressed by all the sporting activity that takes place in that parkland. Even the wildlife seem to get involved if that mountaineering snail is any indication. Look at that little invertebrate go! He is quite the adventurer - an unassisted ascent on the difficult and little attempted north face of elm tree without oxygen or ropes! Mind you, after 2 years clibinmg he is at this stage only 20 cm from the ground where he has established base camp before traversing to the lower branch sometime next year. I expect the park is full of other sports loving snails. Perhaps some want to escape the rush of everyday life and slow down with a little Tai Chi. Mind you a snail in France is probably just in the wilds hiding from all those chefs.
Thanks for the picture of the Border on the motorbike; surely a highlight of your visit. There is no doubting his stylish looks and devil-may-care expression but I still think Australian Borders take some beating - we saw one on a motorbike yesterday but the owner was the pillion passenger and the dog was driving.
You really unsettled me with your great story about being fooled by the fake flowers and I couldn't help but start looking really closely at things around our house that I have always taken for granted. I must say I have never noticed that zipper down Pearl's back before and I'm fairly sure that Fiona and Ruby shouldn't have little doors in their backs to keep batteries in - funny how I never noticed before.
Oh, I must tell you - we finally went to see 'Inglourious Basterds' last night and Fiona was telling Barbara that we were going to see a film. In reply to the question -" Which film" Fiona's answer was
"Inconsistent Bastards... no, what is it Inconsiderate Bastards?'' I stopped her before she said "Incontinent Bastards"
Not that I wouldn't mind seeing a Tarintino film called 'Incontinent Basterds'. Brad Pitt would be standing above a trembling Nazi and drawling " When this wars over you'll probably want to take that uniform off won't you? Well here's a little something from the Incontinent Basterds that's going to make you want to get out of that uniform a damned sight sooner than that!"
Keep those blog entries coming - love the photos.
Love Fiona, Paul and Ruby
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