Somewhere Out There

I can't say enough about my experiences in France thus far. First of all, Paris captured my attention and admiration from the beginning. Christelle and I stayed with friends of hers in the city, with a view of the Eiffel Tower (if you leaned out the window). It was perfect. And Olivier and Xavier, her friends were so kind and giving. I began to enjoy the French style of dining from the beginning. As for the city, I know in my life I will live in Paris. I'm not sure how or when, but I promise that it will happen. There is so much - so different from New York, but I want to be in the middle of it, in the same way I wanted to be in the middle of NYC. The Musee de l'Orangerie was particularly amazing. It houses Monet's giant Waterlillies, and the rooms they are housed in are perfect for sitting and enjoying the magnitude of the paintings. If time permitted, I could have sat there for hours. As it was, I dragged myself away and skipped through the rain to the Louvre. The Place de la Concorde was bustling and as we walked through the Gardens I fell in love with the city. Christelle was an amazing guide, getting us from place to place, train to train. Eventually, we said goodbye to Paris, and headed to Aix. It's not a very historical city in terms of ruins or relics, but very chic and fashionable, as well as the home of Cezanne and the Sainte Victoire. The people watching is unparalleled. There are also beautiful fountains scattered around the city, especially near the Cours Mirabeau and the old city. Marseilles is very close, and we visited the sea and the city. The Old Port is still picturesque, and their is vibrant multicultural vibe. I also stayed in Eguilles, a small village near Aix where Christelle and Didier, her boyfriend, have their home. The Provencal countryside mixed with the wonderful company equated to some near perfect days. Christelle and Didier are both wonderful cooks and have treated me to excellent meals, cheese and French hospitality. Didier is a vigneron, and I was able to look at his vineyards and ask some questions about the local wines and laws. Christelle is currently researching her PhD, the topic including english literature during and about the AIDS crisis. Over the past few weeks I've had some of the most interesting and thoughtful conversations in my trip. Furthermore, simply catching up with Christelle on life and all it's many intricacies has been a pleasure. Once again, reconnecting with an old friend has brought about wonderful times and I'm so blessed to have someone who is so kind and thoughtful as a friend. Meeting Didier has also been such a pleasure, and he has been so sweet to speak English with me, or try to understand my stunted French. I couldn't be happier here in France, and I can't wait to find a way to come back and live for an extended period of time. I'm looking forward to seeing my Uncle Jim and his partner Laurent very soon, in less than 2 weeks! People are the thing, they can bring out the small mysteries and simple pleasures of a place - I've been so lucky on this trip and I've had that happen so often. Thank you Thank you Thank you to my friends, family, the Universe, God and my Gaurdian Angel.