Four years ago in May 2010 my whole focus was going to Japan. I could not get my trip there out of my mind, and I was feverishly researching everything I could in anticipation of it. I had no idea what was to come in 2011 with the tsunami, or that we would finally reach that distant country in 2012. My parents, meanwhile, had just gotten back from a week in Paris, and I'd driven over to deliver food and such since they were jetlagged and their cupboards were empty.
Sitting at the kitchen table with a box of donuts, I waited while they rubbed Paris time away from their eyes and asked them, "So, how was the trip?"
Incredible was the answer I got. From beginning to end, their trip to Paris had been unbelievable from the food to the artwork, the sights and sounds of the city of lights had left a distinct impression on my Mom and Dad. They'd only been gone a week, and already they were planning when they might return. Sitting and listening to them describe the treasures of art, the warm baked baguettes, the cheese, the landmark attractions I found Japan slipping away from my mind for just long enough that a seed could be planted. I knew then and there I wanted to visit France as well.
Like Japan, France would become an independent affair. My parents had done Paris alone, and they would do Switzerland as well before we sat down to consider a French expedition. Of course, going it alone is never easy. There was the itinerary to consider, where to go, what to see. Then we had to figure out how to get to these places, where to find food etc. Thankfully, Mom and Dad had help with their previous trip from friends Carolyn and Walter. They could be counted on to provide us all the necessary tools and tricks to help us in our vacation.
What they provided was a binder, roughly 200 pages deep, which they spent over forty hours creating. Inside were detailed maps, ideas of places to visit, to eat, histories etc. It became our bible. They also provided a GPS, which became our Moses, because driving in France is never simple or easy. With these things in hand, and with a little luck, we set out a date of September 10th. Our destinations: Paris, The Loire Valley and the Normandy coast. The whole trip would last fifteen days.
While it has only been three days since we got back, the whole of France left its own distinct impression on me that I chronicled in a Journal. It's my hope to share my thoughts, my insights and photo's of France as I did in Japan. I hope that it brings a smile to the faces of those who read it.
