Photo Credit Thibault Penin
Paris Proof
I was excited and slightly anxious at my first trip to France. While inexperienced, I felt somewhat prepared with a travel itinerary and having watched hours of Netflix, Emily in Paris. I created a grand vision for what I was expecting and discovered quite quickly how limited the power of my imagination was to what my eyes were taking in. I am still at a loss for words at the value I found in being present in the “NEW”. To say this was a trip of a lifetime will forever be an
understatement.
I had always believed that my backyard, aka America, was the biggest and best. I had a sense of pride and privilege being born in this country. What I learned from France was there are many other countries just as remarkable. Everyday citizens are living a similar and yet different life in their own land.
From iconic architectural structures, buildings, churches and chateaus, France preserved the stories of Old-World History. It continues to create new stories as well as Parisians leisurely enjoying an afternoon at a café with a coffee and crepe. It creates for me, the traveler stories of baguette bread, champagne vineyards, and a 9:45 pm Lorie valley sunset.
Travel holds but one bittersweet flaw. Every trip comes to an end. While a fresh stamped page dries in my passport, another blank page awaits another stamp and another experience. So, as I board the plane and settle in for a long ride home, I close my eyes to what no longer is my imagination but that of a lasting French memory. Avoir!
Photo Credit Jez Timms