April 22, 2011: Grenoble - Bastille, Aquarelle

Today I walked up to the hills above the Bastille to do some watercolour painting (aquarelle). It's a full hour walk from our door to the top, so when I arrived I rested and ate a baguette sandwich. A friendly dog came over to look at me longingly - her owner came over and apologized, saying she was hoping I would give her something to eat (all of which was in French, and I understood!).

Painting was a bit frustrating. The hillside meadow was beautiful, but it's a very steep grade with no flat bits, so nowhere convenient to set down my water bottle, palette or paper. I managed to balance it all, but was envisioning losing something down the hill, where it would roll endlessly out of my reach. But even just sitting in the meadow, listening to the birds and watching the butterflies was lovely. And unlike in the Jardins du Ville there were no nosy hangers-on or admirers (they'd be hard-pressed to hang out on the steep slope with me!).

 

Irises in bloom in front of the Bastille walls

 

A view out onto the city from within the Bastille

 

Sitting under a tree while eating lunch

 

My painting spot - you can appreciate how steep it is! 

 

A butterfly landed near my feet