finally... Paris!!

Today was so wonderful! We woke up and ate the most amazing french brunch, with an assortment of croissants, cheese, crepes, yogurt, honey, pain au chocolate, café au lait, lattes, chocolat chaud and every type of bread one could ask for, So after brunch, we waddled to the train station (la gare) and took the TGV ( a very high speed train) from Cannes to Paris. It was about a five hour train ride through France, and it was absolutely beautiful. I just looked out the window for five hours, I could not take my eyes off of this beautiful country. It was really great because we went up the coast and then straight up through the country. When we left the coast the sun was shining and it was about 40 degrees, but as we traveled through the country it looked like seasons were changing because we went from the sunny beach to a winter wonderland and then arrived in Paris where it is cold but there is no snow. The city is so beautiful! I was speechless in the taxi from the train station to my home stay. My friend Claire and I are living in the 17th arrondisement with Madame and Monsieur Richet. The Richets are awesome! And their apartment is incredible. It is on the top floor and very spacious, I was shocked! Their apartment is so beautiful, although it kind of feels like a museum, but I really like it!. Also we are about 2-3 miles from the Eiffel Tower and about a mile from the Arc de Trompe and Champs des Elysees! The Richets are a retired couple and they have four older children who are married and have their own children. The Richets have 10 grandchildren. One of their grandchildren, Martin, is spending the night tonight, He is seven years old and so much fun! When we arrived, Claire and I settled into our lovely room, and then the Richets served us a wonderful four course french meal! The Richet’s speak a little bit on English, which is wonderful because Claire and I need to practice our french! So Claire and I are finally here! Oh and we have internet! It really could not get much better.

-- I am appropriately reading a book titled, 'Paris to the Moon' by Adam Gopnik. It is a lovely book on an American family living in Paris at the end of the 20th century. Anyways my quote from of the day from this book is, " There are two kinds of travelers. There is the kind who goes to see what there is to see and sees it, and the kind who has an image in his head and goes out to accomplish it. The first visitor has an easier time, but I think the second visitor sees more. He is constantly comparing what he sees to what he wants, so he sees with his mind, and maybe even with his heart, or tries to. If his peripheral vision gets diminished--so that he quite literally sometimes can't see what's coming at him from the suburbs of the place he looks at--his struggle to adjust the country he looks at to the country he has inside him at least keeps him looking. It sometimes blurs, and sometimes sharpens, his eye. My head was filled with pictures of Paris, mostly black and white, and I wanted to be in them."