On Thursday Richard's friend Richard came to stay. Like Cecilia, he is an opera singer and it transpired they had once shared a car ride together to Glyndebourne. On Saturday we set out to the Jardin des Tuileries to rent one of the wooden sailing boats which Richard had spied the day before. We passed the large painted copy of the Mona Lisa with her face cut out, where for 3 euros you can have you photograph taken with your face there instead. Richard had menaced me with it a few weeks after arriving, saying it'd be good for my blog and pushing me at it - but my embarrassment at that kind of thing is overwhelming. I escaped but have always felt a bit wet about it, and do quite covet a photo of me as the Mona Lisa.
By one of the large round ponds was an elderly man with a stall on wheels. On the top row are his boats with hand-stitched sails in different colours, and on the bottom is his equipment for fixing any damage after boating mishaps. He gave us our chosen boat and three sticks, and told us (I think) not to touch any of the others. At least that was what I heard and so felt paranoid about my stick touching another boat, and about keeping our precious boat away from the sticks of the many children round the pond. When we returned our boat he at first declined payment. He was kind and looked as if he could have been doing this same job for 40 years, and clearly it's no money-spinner.
My, she was yar.
Able seamen Richard, Tor and Richard. Note child in background, probably trying to touch our boat with his stick.
2 comments:
Richard and Richard have become identical.
The children here (In India)are thrilled by the photos of you and Bea. They are intrigued and charmed by the idea that George has a friend and they were very pleased that your name was "Victoria"- and shouted it at each other. Well done.
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