Sunday, 15.07.07
C’est fini. We have come to Paris, we have seen Paris. Well, we’ve seen the miniscule amount of Paris that we happened upon, but now I know what people are talking about when they say “Aaaahhhhh, Paris…!!”.
This truly was a life changing experience. I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone (which I never knew was such a comfortable place for me to be) and learned how to communicate and navigate and most importantly how to trust that everything will work out. This past month has been a roller coaster of emotion. This past 12 days has been a vacation from the buzzing that constantly rings through my head. Will this experience teach me to let go of all of the anxiety I wear so freely and learn to trust that the adventure that was meant to be will be? I worried that the kids would be bored or whiney; they were neither. I worried that we would go hungry or get lost or be overwhelmed or spend too much money. I failed to take into account French bread, metro maps, the rejuvenating power of 9 hours of sleep and the fact that you can always make more money. What is it with me and the universe? How many times must she shake me by the shoulders and say “Trust me!”
So, now I am a person who loves Paris. And here are some of the things I love best:
Fresh baked french bread from the local baker
The ability to go everywhere on public transportation, you can absolutely get anywhere without a car. Plus you can read on the subway, which is a lot less stressful than sitting on Highway 1 in rush hour traffic.
But, if you do need a car your main choices are these tiny, zippy little vehicles: Citreon, Renault, Smart Cars. I’m astounded that we don’t really even have these options in the US, and that we continue to drive our SUV’s with wild abandon.
Walking everywhere, which means you can eat all that lovely French bread without becoming a total lard butt.
The stylish women (and men!) in Paris. This is big, coming from someone who wears Earth shoes. But I just loved looking at the fashion and all of these people who put so much thought into how they present themselves to the world. A lot of the styles right now are retro from that hideous period in the 70’s when everyone wore loud fabrics of orange and pink and lime green and brown psychedelia, but it just looks so great on all these ultra chic Parisians.
Slowing down. The French don’t eat or drink while walking. No gulping lattes as you rush off to work. No bagel noshing on the run. People sit down in cafes and enjoy their café and croissant. It’s so civilized, and it cuts down on trash in the street too.
Slow foods. Every one of us noticed we’re all a bunch of inhalers when it comes to eating. We all learned to actually chew our food thoroughly and savor the taste and the company at our meals. What a concept.
Respecting history. In California it’s always out with the old, in with the new. My neighborhood changes weekly. We talk about something from the 50’s being ancient (ouch, that hurts!) With all these new marble entryways and granite kitchens what exactly are we trying to accomplish? Everything is old in Paris (well, almost everything) and it is truly and stunningly beautiful. It’s such a great way to honor our ancestors, preserving what they’ve built.
So, that was our trip to Paris. Thanks to all of our friends who helped us on our way: Anne and Arne, Laura, Esther, Janet, Kitty and Michael, all the Quiddites and of course Clelia and Paolina and Léon who had the good sense to switch lives with us. I certainly hope they stumbled upon adventure too!!
