Monday, July 2, 2012

Paris: Parting shots

This will be my final Paris post and then we will be on to my otherwise exciting life.   When I went to Paris with my daughter, her wife and my granddaughter- Little Bee, I was just along for the ride.  Oh, I had my list of things to see (and I got to see every one of them) but I was just thrilled to the core just to be going to Paris.
I was thrilled with the statues and art work and history and architechture.  The following two shots were taken in a park near La Tour Eiffel. 

Sometimes I took photos with my blog in mind.  Things I wanted to share with you such as this beautiful knocker on a blue door.
 And this gorgeous red door.
There were several things we wanted to do once we got there- and the following remain on my list for next time:
Ride the open air tour bus:
Take the water bus on the Seine:
You can even buy a pass and hop on and off...
Ride a Parisian bicycle:
These were all over and you slide your card and take a bicycle.  I wanted to but just never got to do this.
Next time I will go to Musee du Louvre and actually go in.  I went by myself and the lines were horrible.  I settled for walking about on the grounds, taking photographs.  For me, I was very adventurous just to get in a taxi and go over by myself.
This was the night that Baby Bee fell sick and her moms ended up taking her to the emergency room.  (Which was very scary.) (She was fine- just a virus but ran a fever of 104.)
On my list for next time:  eat more, drink more, sit at outdoor cafes and take even more photographs.
We did eat at the wonderful Italian restaurant pictured below, Amici Miei.  We had pizza and it was to die for.
I am going back.
You see, one of the things I never shared with you was that my friend who I've been friends with since we were seventeen and my daughter planned this trip for me.  They started planning this trip in 2007.  Last Fall my daughter called my friend (whom my daughter is named for) and said "let's do it."  Tickets were purchased last October.  My friend and her daughter met us on the east coast and we all had a wonderful visit together and all the while, she and my daughter were whispering together and plotting.  I had no idea.  Then my daughter gave me my ticket in December for Christmas.  My friend was thrilled for me.  More than I knew because she had a ticket, too.  She was so involved in my plans for the trip, my packing, my getting my passport.  I thought she was just being my friend as she always is.  But she was going along with us. We had adjoining hotel rooms- one for she and I and one for the moms and Baby Bee.
Then two and a half weeks before we were to depart- my friend's neighbor asked her to come by and baby-sit for her children for less than an hour- just to be there from when the sitter left until the grandparents could get there.  "No problem," my freind told them.  She and her daughter went to their house straight away after work.  My friend was still in her work clothes- brief case and purse sat on the porch.  She sat down on the porch swing and the swing came out of the ceiling and fell on her left leg, breaking her leg in four places and crushing her ankle.
An abulance took her to Duke Medical.  She kept telling them to get a cast on her leg because she was going to Paris in two and a half weeks.  Finally, a doctor told her "Darlin, you aren't going to Paris- you are going to surgery." 
This happened on a Friday evening.
The next Tuesday, my daughter called and said "she really did break her leg."
"Yes, she did and it is awful."  I answered.
My daughter said "at first I thought it was a joke- a part of the plan."
"Plan?" I said "I don't understand.  What plan?  I don't know what you are talking about."
"I have to tell you something," my daughter said quietly "she was going with us."
The silence that followed was me, sobbing so hard I could barely get my breath.
I called Doug and cried and told him.
He said "wait a minute, you are still going with your daughter and daughter-in-law and the baby, right?"  "Yes," I wailed, but she isn't going.
For quite some time, I was depressed and despondent. 
Doug begged me to blog about it.
When I am sad or upset, I usually shut down. 
So I am going back.
With her.
And we will do Paris and Spain or Italy.
For now she is doing physical therapy and hasn't returned to work.
We've been on the phone a lot.

For me, this trip was a dream come true.  Now I need to find a new dream!
This parting shot is possibly my favorite photo:
For another American in Paris account (another Hoosier in Paris) go over and visit Jen at The Cottage Nest.  (She visited Paris and London.)

11 comments:

Donna said...

Does "National Geographic Traveler" know about you? Truly, your photos are outstanding. I would guess you could go on for many more posts with many more Paris themes. Yes, the tower photo is amazing. Why didn't I know that it is lit up like that at night? What a sight from ... forever! Can you imagine living waaaaayyyy out in the countryside and being able to see it aglow every night? I also love the one inside a restaurant with the crystal glowing against the window and red geraniums just on the other side. I didn't know that the moms had to take Bee to the ER. I suppose every trip has its trying moments. Wow.

Kim said...

Thanks for sharing a little bit of Paris with us. It is on my bucket list for someday.
I'm a new follower :)
Kim

Unknown said...

Really enjoyed the photos. So sorry about your friend's accident...how disappointing! Hopefully, her leg is healing well after the surgery.

And, yes, you definitely need to go back and experience Paris with her! She'll be glad to have an experienced Parisian traveler with her on the trip...

Anonymous said...

Oh what a terrible twist! But there seems to be a bittersweet outcome. I've loved you posts and pictures.

We plan to go to London in the summer of 2014. Cannot wait!!

Chicken Wrangler said...

Love your pics - the open air bus is cool! When we went to Canada last summer they had double decker bus rides, but no open air upstairs! Their bus was PINK!

ain't for city gals said...

What a surprise that would have been!...but..it will be even better the second time around...though without Little Bee...??? won't be quite the same!

ain't for city gals said...

How weird....they made me do the "prove you are not a robot thing"...I couldn't read the numbers....just hit publish to get the next set...and the comment went through...ah...there it is again...usually I don't do the comment verification thing anymore...you are worth it!

Chatty Crone said...

I didn't know that part of the story - I hope you get to go with her one day. And I loved your photos.

Sandie
PS I have a hard time with word verification too! lol

Kris said...

Oh my gosh, your poor friend! What a terrible thing to happen just before your trip!!! I am so glad to hear you are going back with her!
Yeah!!!
Hugs,
Kris

Sandy, Sisters of Season said...

Hi Cheryl, What an amazing trip and wow how exciting! Don't give up on the ideal of you and your friend going to Paris together. She trip was meant for you and your family only . . . be happy, this is a good reason to have to go back to Paris. Love all the beautiful pics too:O) Blessings, Sandy

TARYTERRE said...

Fate stepped in and ruined things for your friend, at the last minute. How sad. Another trip sounds warranted to me. you were so blessed with this one, though. To be with your daugthers and grandbaby. It was the trip of a lifetime, for sure. I would just live in those street side cafes sipping my tea and taking it all in, if it were me. take care. PS) My Scooter Lady Rides Again Blog has been using this grassy layout for the past couple years. reminds me of laying in the grass as a child. I love it and was tickled to see you use it too.

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