Good morning!
It's so good to be back here in my own comfortable little corner of the world.
I've missed visiting here in this space, but tried my best
to share our experiences by posting photos on social media.
(Instagram or Facebook)
I took a ton of photos, of course, and plan on having them printed into a coffee table
book as a keepsake.
I've done this after the last few adventures and find that we look at the pictures
more than we would in just a photo album.
The best part of having them printed in a book is that it prevents the pictures
from deteriorating over time.
There's nothing like travel in a foreign country to push and pull you
out of your comfort zone... resulting in personal growth.
The last few times that we have travelled, we have chosen to make
most of the arrangements ourselves and travel either by ourselves
or with friends.
Driving a rental car in a foreign country is an adventure
(sometimes a little dicey... narrow roads, fast drivers, and signs that make no sense)
that gave us the opportunity to get off the beaten path and find
hidden treasures that we might have otherwise missed.
We spent half of our time in Paris.
And yes, it is a spectacular city, with so much to see and do.
The palaces, the cathedrals, the museums,
the Louvre with its massive collection of antiquities.
The Eiffel Tower, the L'Arc du Triomphe, and Notre Dame
are more spectacular in person than they are in photos.
We very quickly learned that in a city as enormous as Paris,
it is essential to learn how to use mass transit.
The subway became the magic carpet that transported us
to everything we wished to see...
and enabled us to see so much more than we could have just by foot...
and cheaply, compared to a Taxi.
The art, the architecture, the quaint neighborhoods, the food,
and so much more makes Paris the most magical city I've visited.
And yet, after four days we were ready for the quiet solitude of the country.
We took a high speed train to Provence, a southern region dotted with
medieval hilltop towns surrounded by fields of lavender
(already harvested)
and grapes.
A day trip to the Mediterranean town of Cassis
and a boat trip along the coast was one of the highlights of the second half of our trip.
Perhaps the best part was having the opportunity to experience
life in one of these quaint towns... daily trips to the boulangerie for bread
and croissants and the patisserie for sweet treats,
as well as market days where sleepy, winding, cobblestone streets
become bustling centers of commerce.
We tried our best to speak (rudimentary) French whenever possible and found
that the townspeople greatly appreciated (and were sometimes amused by) our efforts.
We made it back home without any travel difficulties
and spent the weekend catching up on laundry, mail, grocery shopping, etc.
It was wonderful to see our animals...
and wonderful to know that they were so well cared-for in our absence.
I can't help but believe that perhaps we were missed just a little.
Ginger and MaryAnn came running to the fence to talk to me yesterday,
and I truly think they were commenting on my prior week's absence.
Autumn truly arrived while we were away, leaving summer just a memory.
It's so great to be home and even better to be here to watch the season change.
Let me know if you are interested in seeing more photos and tales of our travels...
I would be happy to elaborate... but only if you request that...
otherwise I will jump right back into life on the farm.
Gee, it's great to be back home again!!
Comments
But the travels, Paris and some country . . . is a joy tucked in the “bank!”
Loved following you on IG . . . wonderful pictures.
Welcome back, I missed you too!
Mary
Looks like a fantastic and memorable trip. I'd love to hear more about the quaint villages!
Happy Autumn!
more trip pictures.
Phyllis