La destination prochaine...Paris

I always thought I would go to Paris with the one I loved. Turns out I did.  Or at least I went with someone who I was learning to love.  No, that does not mean that S came with me.  It simply means that I started to love the person who was inside of me.  As corny as it sounds, it took a lot time to get there -- and Paris too!

It was a grey and rainy day when the plane touched down.  After all, it was Paris in December.  Somewhat crazy that I had picked that month of all months.  I found my hotel pretty easily and it was this great place in Montmatre.  It was late afternoon, so I decided to take a stroll down to Cathedrale Sacre Coeur.  Montmatre is a beautiful part of Paris.  In Vancouver terms I would call it the Yaletown of Paris -- despite the fact that it outranks it 10:1.  Still, it has create cobblestone streets, trendy apartments, cool restaurants and, as the artists quarter, somewhat talented caricaturists.  I fell in love immediately!  

I had a great meal that night.  I actually sought out a tourist menu and found one that had french onion soup, moules (mussels) et frites and creme caramel for dessert.  There was a lounge pianist and singer and it was truly how I imagined Paris to be.  

The following days were spent wandering the streets, shopping on Les Champs Elysees, visiting the latin quarter, the gothic quarter, the catacombs.  I decided to take the "New Europe" tour and had a great time, despite the freezing temperatures.  Despite my folly in visiting Europe in December, the privilege I had was visiting all of the Christmas markets and getting to see the Champs Elysees dripping with light blue sparkling lights for miles leading up to the Arc de Triomphe.  Such a sight.

Paris was also my opportunity to reclaim something that I hadn't seen for many years -- approximately 12 to be exact.  That would be the beauty of the French language.  I wrapped myself in it in abundance.  I spoke to everyone in French and even had tourists coming up to me and asking for directions in their broken tourist French.  I felt great.  

My relationship with S continued.  We wrote each other three times a day and I told him minute details of my trip.  He told me how much he missed me and how he dreamt of me and cried for me.  He told me how sad he was the day I told him I was leaving Paris and leaving Europe.  I really felt like I had found someone who understood me and supported me.