Culley and Pat headed to Verdun to trace the route of their ancestor, a WWI hero who sailed in a balloon over northern France. Me, I stayed home and supported Carole as she heads to Cairo after 4 years in France. She said to me, as she walked down the beautiful marble staircase of her amazing parisian apartment for the last time that she feels "like Cinderella at midnight, leaving the ball."
Carole was smitten with Paris from the get-go. It's like a love affair and Paris becomes the lover. I have seen this now in several people. For me, I think I came to love ~ Paris the city, but I don't have the same level of complete adoration of it, at least not like some do. I am thankful to Paris ("her" in my mind) because she has taught me to love the heartbeat of a big city, where as before I feared it. I was overwhelmed by it, and afraid it would eat me alive. Now, I have become friends with her, and what she has to offer, and have a much greater respect for city planning and living and confidence that I can figure out any city, given enough time. I have become much more enamored with NYC as a result of my experience of Paris, for example.
The city I fell in love with was La Varenne, not really a city, but a well designed and cared for village that is so excellently located that if they don't have it -- you can get it very nearby. It's not that big - I can walk the whole thing in two hours - but I can find nearly everything I need, except on Monday and Sunday afternoon. So on those days -- I don't look for it, because that's the rhythm of the village.
There are 6-8 restaurants including Chinese and Créole, 3 butchers, 3-4 bread stores, and 2-3 places to get fresh fruits and vegetables. There are 6 hairdressers, an appliance store, and a Tabac, 3 chocolate stores, and recently Hediard came along. The 4-movie theatre occasionally has films in english, and the newspaper stores both carry english papers - sometimes. Two bus lines go through here, though neither goes near the laundrymat or the dry cleaner - though there are bike racks everywhere, and it's flat - so anyone can get around with their rolling shopping cart, stroller or tricycle. We have several banks, florists and many places for clothes - but of course if that doesn't suit you, there is always the market two days a week. Lastly, there are two "grocery stores" and a "superette." The only thing lacking is a fresh fish place, and the big grocery has a fresh fish vendor who is really pretty good. Getting everything I need within a 3 mile radius and never needing a car is a fantastic thing that I will now work hard to re-achieve. That will mean moving, and I don't really mind that idea now, but I doubt it will be to anywhere in Ohio. I am thinking we are only there temporarily now, as the world is a lot bigger than I thought it was - and I want to see it all.
note - I started this entry in June and just now finished it (Aug 31). Life really hasn't been that quiet!
