Thursday 15 May 2008

The Absinthe Drinker

Ever willing to try, Angels stepped into an absinthe den. Head full of 19th century images, Gymnopedie playing in the mind, admiring the translucent green, the glass neared the angelic nose. If Florence Nightingale had been swabbing the floor of the entire Crimea it couldn't have been worse. How could anyone drink absinthe?

A retreat to a courtyard cafe and a small pilsner to take away even the smell was needed.

8 comments:

Sen. C.R.O'Blene said...

Hats, just Google 'Images' "Absinthe Berthelot" for a marvellous picture, which is a family favourite!

Still remember how we all started to love it too...!

Anonymous said...

HG: Your words paint a thousand pictures... :-)


(word ver: inntot !!!!)

Nick Drew said...

HG !

I'm shocked

has it come to this ?

(the word verification is pjufwdb which I think sums it all up)

hatfield girl said...

I only smelled it! That was quite enough. And to think it's associated with effete-ism.

Czech wine is a revelation; very well made, particularly the whites. Well, I haven't tried the reds yet, I own, but the whites are a source of strength through the long, arid stetches of intellectual history. If I hear the word paradigm again I shall reach for - well another glass - not my gun.

Nomad I crossed the river and into the palace gardens for a sunny drift up all those steps to the castle. I have taken pictures of 'ideas for Lilith's garden' which is on much the same kind of slope, if different scale. Photographing the trellises so that I would have a record of how they are joined together, I was surprised to see a group of Japanese visitors photographing the same piece of wall - they must have thought they were missing something only I could see.

There is some very fine early 20th century building here and there, too, which is a bit of a surprise when wearing baroque eyes.

I find I do not like garnets, whatever shall I do, there's no other jewellery at all? The new stuff is dull and the real Mccoy, the antique garnets, look disturbingly like dried blood.

Lovely glass. On enquiring how much in euros two tumblers (perfect for a decent, after a long day, g and t) cost I am deliberating strategems. Perhaps I needn't mention it, take them as a gift, they are engraved with flowers and parrots like some mad chrystal chintz, so transparent yet solid, like a jungle seen through a veil.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for that postcard HG - brings back some happy memories of beautifiul scenery, and aching limbs from the climb up to M-T's palace. Still, nothing that a cold lager in the old square couldn't fix!

Enjoy the rest of your trip.

lilith said...

I am very excited about the garden ideas :-)

hatfield girl said...

As soon as I work out how to down load the piks into the mac, Liith. I'm not a natural photographer, tending to find the camera is in the way of my eyes, but this time I have tried. The plants were common or garden (ahem) but the plantings were lovely. I liked particularly the herb garden on steep steps, and the trellissing and working of plants along the risers of the terraces.

lilith said...

Lush! Can't wait! But I am afraid I know nothing about Macs...:(