Bagatelle

I rode my bike all the way to the Bois de Boulogne today (which is on the west periphery of Paris). After a lovely procession through Paris, up the Champs Elysees, down Avenue Foch (where the richest of the rich dwell), I arrived at the gardens of Bagatelle. Here I entered:



And I was warned that I better not have a picnic:



But then I was entranced. I had found a magical little world totally apart from Paris (which was still very nearby in fact). Peacocks were everywhere (and, although sadly less remarkable, peahens). As I've mentioned before, they are my favorite non-extinct animal. Their cry. Their colors. Their attitude. Oh, I was in heaven. I literally had tears in my eyes as I watched them lolling about on the green green lawns and fawning and flaunting themselves and their prom dresses (that is what I like to call their tails made up of the 200 feathers they regrow every year. My fifth grade topic of choice for the research project was peacocks).






Here are the girls. It is alright peahens. Next time around. I mean, potentially in the chain of reincarnation.

Now back to the mens:




Here was a little brat who went around terrorizing my birds. I advised her to cut it out and explained my animal theories. She looked annoyed. Let's be honest - I would have been that girl at 7 and the peacock would have ended up nipping my bum.



And then walking down a delightful little trail, I came across one peacock who really wanted to show his stuff. I cried a pterodactyl cry to show my appreciation for his performance. I think he recognized me and was also honored.





Please note what I like to call the 'bad halloween costume' aspect of the peacock. His tail feathers, behind all that glory, look like a turkey. He hides all that until after the show.



There were other more commonplace birds floating about, but they were also divine.



Otherwise, Bagatelle is my new favorite spot in Paris. You can see why.





















To finish, around a bend in a trail, on top of a waterfall sat one of my lovelies. He was cawing in his peacock way for me to come find him and have a visit. I did.