Farm Girls Go to Paris…Part 2

Goodness Gracious. I started this post almost 6 weeks ago and I’m finally back to finish it up so I can go back and relive it later!

Hello, Friends!

For many of you school has started. I’m praying your kids and grandkids have the best year ever and you are starting the year rested and renewed. After teaching for so many years, I still find myself operating mentally on a school calendar, so maybe I should go order some new clothes and the micron pens and watercolor sketchbook I’ve been wanting!

Thank you so much for your kind comments about Part 1 of this little mini-series about the dream trip I took this summer. If you missed it, catch up here!

Let’s just begin where we left off last time with my continuing list of experiences and memories….

54. Early Wednesday morning, we all walked through the Latin Quarter to Notre Dame. We found a spot in front of the church where Laura led us in morning devotions and then went inside for a few minutes of silent prayer and meditation before forming a prayer circle outside in front of the church, close to a huge statue of Charlemagne on his horse.

Say what?

I can only imagine how many people have offered prayers at this spot since the cathedral was started in the 1100’s?

History truly is HIS STORY.

55. After breakfast…can you guess what I ate?….. we met Stephanie, an English girl with the most delightful British accent, in front of our COOKING SCHOOL! Yes, 2 farm girls from Jasper County attended a FRENCH cooking school. In Paris. Can you believe it?

56. Riding the metro as Stephanie took us to an outdoor market where we met Cyril, our chef and his assistant. We learned that each arrondissement is required by city statute to host 2 fresh food markets each week. Cyril educated us about the products that were available and we visited with the cheesemaker, fishmonger and produce farmers as we selected our ingredients.

57. Standing at a long stainless steel counter in a beautiful second floor kitchen, flooded with natural light, shoulder to shoulder with new friends as we learned French cooking tips and prepared a yummy meal. An artichoke soup, fish and veggies, a cheese course and an apricot tart-like dish for dessert. The best part was the laughter and relationship building that comes from accomplishing something together!

58. Crowded into the alcove window seated around 2 tables, looking out on the leafy green trees while people passed below us enjoying SCRUMPTIOUS food, listening as Cyril shared some of his experiences as a professional chef in Paris and getting better acquainted. This was one of my favorite activities!

59. Trekked to the Louvre after lunch with Debbie and Suzy, put on our speedwalking attitudes and powered through that massive crowded museum. We laid eyes on SO MUCH FAMOUS ART including the Mona Lisa, Venus di Milo, the Sphinx just to name a few and enjoyed the Tuilerie Gardens. WE WERE SO TIRED when we finished walking over 10 miles that day.

But it was a good tired and we rallied to enjoy a fabulous Italian dinner with our Texas sisters. I had Truffle Ravioli. #amazing

60. Thursday began with a chocolate croissant in Laura’s apartment, devotions and Bible journaling and then ubering to our Fat Tire Bike Tour. I have to admit that I did this afraid after witnessing the CRAZY Paris traffic, but I’m so glad we did it. It was so fun to see things up close and personal and our tour guide was a young man originally from the Chicago area! We rode 8 miles all over our part of Paris and saw so many interesting things…..a military school that still has bullet holes from the end of WW2….a military hospital….a market…gobs of stuff ordered built by Louis XIV, the child king, to honor himself….a beautiful church he built so he could go pray for the invalid soldiers since he couldn’t possibly pray for them in the same church where the invalids worshipped….huh?….. the Eiffel Tower….the Peace Bridge which appears in so many music videos and fashion week shots….lunch in the Tuilerie Gardens

62. Shopping….Paris is a shoppers dream come true! Haute Couture, street vendors, reasonably priced stores. Debbie and I both found some fun things to remind us of our trip. Who doesn’t want an outfit from Paris? I sure did!

63. Sonia Rykiel……One particular store had the most adorable windows, so we opened the big heavy door and went in, knowing this had to be a special and EXPENSIVE place. We walked in talking and laughing and found no other customers and several impeccably groomed and beautifully dressed employees giving us the side eye. One of the shopkeepers came up to us and we started asking questions. He was APPALLED that neither of us had ever heard of this designer. (I didn’t tell him most of my clothes come from Amazon or TJ Maxx!) Come to find out, Rykiel is the Queen of Knitwear and the designer of the Poor boy striped sweater. May she rest in peace.

After he recovered, we continued our discussion and by the time we were finished, we were friends and he was as interested in us as we were in him! There are lessons there, folks!

64. Listening to Erin and Allie speak of their husband and father who had recently passed away. Dave must have been a wonderful man and I enjoyed listening to their stories of his kindness and the Greek Orthodox churches he built all over the United States.

65. Teeny tiny cups of coffee-doll set size.

66. I have to admit that not all of our interactions with people in Paris were positive. I am choosing not to focus on the grouchy waiter at Paul’s who chased us from the choice outdoor seats and made us move to the other side of the storefront where the people watching wasn’t so good. Instead, I’m thankful for the Canadian sisters who randomly joined us with their cappuccinos and the fun we had sharing our Paris stories. Then there was the British couple behind us who offered to give us 2 free tickets to the Louvre.

Most people are kind to you if you are kind to them. #stopdrinkingcoffeeifitmakesyougrouchy

67. More shopping! Did you know that July in Paris means SOLED (sale)????

68. A late lingering dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant near the Eiffel tower. The food was fab, the company even better and at 11:00 p.m., the tower sparkles! It was fairy-talish!

I am tired and happy just writing all we did that very special day! One more day in Paris and then on to Belgium….

Stay tuned, friends!