We are here!

It's a long trip from Sequim to Paris and when I first arrive I wonder "Who's idea was this anyway?"  My brian is fuzzy, my eyes can hardly focus, and I just want to go to sleep!  This trip was more pleasant than usual since we splurged and flew Business Class.

We arrived at Seatac Monday at 11:30 and picked up our friends Kimball and Marilyn at the Airport Hilton where they stayed after a flight from their home in Waikiki.  We had a leisurely lunch with them, and then they drove us to the airport where we checked in and headed straight to the Icelandic Air Lounge to await our flight, and they headed to Sequim to live in our house for the newest 3 months.  In the lounge we enjoyed a couple of cocktails and some champagne and then boarded our flight to Reykjavik, and on to Paris.  We pretty much ate and drank our way to Paris!

Upon arrival we took a taxi into the city to our apartment...  Who knew that taking a taxi from the airport to our apartment was the most economical way to go?  Waiting for us inside our apartment was a delightful young woman named Meagan who's a student and volunteered to orient us to our apartment as a favor to her friend who was on summer holiday. (This was arranged by our friend Marilee who is renting us the apartment).

Our next order of business was to pick up a few groceries, and of course some wine and cheese.  We also went to the nearby metro station to purchase a "Navigo Pass".  What a wonderful experience that was!  We were assisted by a very friendly metro worker who was still smiling and friendly after 28 years as an employee.  She explained the process, affixed our photos to the card and showed us how to charge the card.  I was very pleased that most of the communication we had was in French and I understood her and most importantly, she understood me! She even agreed to have her photo taken with me:

Leaving soon!

Oh la la! In less than 48 hours Bob and I will be headed to Paris and hope to live like Parisians for 3 months!  I've tried my best over the past few months to improve my "kindergarten" French.  I even found a young Parisian woman who moved to Sequim last fall from Paris to marry a young man who grew up here!  She and I have been meeting twice a week at her home, which just happens to be I'm my neighborhood. I love it when the stars align and things seem "meant to be"!  She has been kind enough to offer to Skype with me a few weeks after arriving in France to answer questions and help with language issues... I'm hoping once I'm there I will gain more confidence and being immersed in the language, it will all start to click.  I'll keep you posted.

Our bags are packed, and tomorrow we clean the house for our good friends Kimbal and Marilyn, who will take care of our house while we are away.  It's so nice to know it will be in trustworthy hands while we are gone!

We have lots of plans, and several visitors coming to see us while we are there: Germans, a Kiwi, two Canadians, and even some Americans we met while walking the Camino de Santiago two years ago.  It's what I enjoy most about travel.. The connections you make and the friendships that develop.  On previous trips I've always brought a sketchbook but never made it a priority to fill it with images. This time I hope will be different.  I want to keep this blog, and also a sketchbook diary of our time in Paris.  After all, Paris is the City of light and home of many artists past a and present, as well as home to my favorite of all museums: The Musée d'Orsay.