Montag, 19. April 2010

FOUR DAYS IN PARIS 365/98 until 365/101

These are my thoughts but Kerri was so helpful and friendly to translate for me. Thanks so much Kerri - many hugs!!

My dream came true. I am back from Paris - yes from Paris! I still can't believe it myself even though I find myself browsing 700+ photos daily! Yes, I visited Girlie!!!

Right up until the last minute I wasn't sure I wouldn't chicken out. It is something totally different driving somewhere quickly in a car - or going to a different country for 4 days, where you don't speak the language, and where you can't talk in your native tongue, but you have to dig deep and dig up your rusty school english.

Even though I didn't know the person, family I was visiting, where I was going and would we get on, from the beginning I had a feeling I was doing the right thing - and this feeling didn't decieve me.

From the very first moment, Girlie and her family welcomed me with open arms, as if we had known oneanother for a very long time. I immediately felt at home! It was incredible - I have never experienced something like this before.

One of the first things she said was "sit down and relax" and that is what I did for 4 days in Paris "relax".

We did so much in those few days, saw so much of beautiful Paris, you would think I would have been exhausted from our marathon sight-seeing tour. But no I wasn't. I thoroughly enjoyed it all, and any stress just fell away, I felt released and accepted - it was just amazing!

To top it off we had perfect weather, a clear blue sky and everything.

One special event was visiting Girlie's church and taking part in the service, it meant a lot to me.

I am very grateful that I was able to accompany Girlie on her "goodbye Paris tour" and to share those experiences with her, some of which she experienced for the first time in her 5 year stay in Paris.

Unfortunately the days sped by and the time together was much too short. It is such a shame that we never met sooner and never had the chance to spend more time together over the years.

At the same time as me Gigi, was also visiting Girlie, she too showed me such heart and warmth, as if we had known one another forever. Such familiarity from the beginning was great.

We had some great conversations and were able to exchange familiarities of our kids. I hope she enjoyed it as much as I did and that she wasn't bored or tired of my bad english ;o)

The familiarity and the conversations did me the world of good and still are even back in Germany.

I did not only find a friend in Girlie, who incidently fits the name, but also in Gigi, and I will be forever grateful.

I am sure that god willing I will see Girlie and her family again as well as Gigi.

You cannot imagine how difficult it was to say goodbye and return home to everyday life. I miss them a lot and am sad in a good way, when I recall our days in Paris - sad because they are over.

...these four days in Paris were some of the best of my life and it has been a long long while since I have relaxed so well, and felt so good.

My colleagues at work, who didn't know I had been to Paris said when I returned "wow, you look happy and really well rested"
I fully intend to keep this "great feeling" and take some of the asian serenity into my daily life and be able to see things more relaxed and calmer.....

Thank you for the great time with you!

Enough talk - now some of my photos, that you have waited on for so long, but I just couldn't decide which to post. Somehow shrinking the pictures has also messed up the quality, but I think they can show you some of what my trip to Paris was like.

So, sit down and just relax, enjoy my pictures of Paris..........



Credits: all pictures by me
photgraphy templates by Ramona
translation by Kerri

20 Kommentare:

Fabella hat gesagt…

Oh das klingt nach einer wirklich wundervollen Zeit. Ich freue mich so sehr, daß Du so eine schöne Auszeit hast, ich hoffe, Du kannst sie Dir noch lange im Herzen bewahren und von ihr zehren!!

Wunderschöne Fotocollagen hast Du gemacht, geniale Präsentation!!

Julia hat gesagt…

Deinen Text habe ich mir jetzt nicht ganz durchgelesen... ist mir grad zu viel englisch *lach*
Aber die Bilder sprechen für sich. Ich bin mir sicher, du hattest eine wunderbare Zeit in Paris.

sara hat gesagt…

I am so glad you had such a wonderful time....you deserve it!!! the pictures are great and it was good to know that you were able to relax so much that your colleagues even noticed when you got back!!!

Susan hat gesagt…

I am so happy for you. You've had such a hard year and hurray for you to get away and enjoy Paris. Your photos are wonderful to see.

Anonym hat gesagt…

Huhuu liebe Angelika,

wunderbar beschrieben ..hab alles gelesen und so ein bisschen von deinem tiefen, intensiven Glücksgefühl mit spüren dürfen *knuddel*

freu mich total, dass es dir so gut gefallen hat und die Zeit mit lieben Menschen in Paris so wundervoll war. Deine Fotos - sprechen ohnehin für sich :))) von den Erinnerungen kannst du bestimmt noch lange zehren.

Ganz viele liebe Grüsse an dich,
Ocean :)))

Unknown hat gesagt…

What a wonderful trip and oportunity to meet Girlie - wish I had been there too!

Amazing photos - ALL of them!

Which place in Paris did you love most?

Birgit hat gesagt…

Ohhh ich beneide Dich... ich liebe Paris so sehr... erst im Dezember war ich das letzte Mal dort. Und wenn ich nun Deine herrlichen Frühlingsfotos anschaue, lacht mein Herz.
Schön, dass Du so eine tolle Zeit hattest und so warm und herzlich aufgenommen wurdest.

Anonym hat gesagt…

oh how wonderful! I will go to Paris in Juli and I am sooo happy for that. and your photos are really beautiful. I love the way how you show them....beautiful postcards of memories.

hugs


M

takinu hat gesagt…

Das klingt nach einer tollen Zeit. Super, dass du so viel erleben und dabei entspannen konntest.
Deine Fotos sind wie aus einem Reisekatalog. Super! Und glücklicher Weise war deine Reise nicht von einer Vulkanaschewolke behindert. Viele Grüße zu dir. Susan

Maike hat gesagt…

Ich bin grad völlig beeindruckt von dem, was ich gelesen habe und freue mich total für dich, dass du so einen tollen Trip machen konntest.
Ganz besonders freue ich mich, dass dein Gefühl dich nicht getäuscht hat und du so eine gute Freundin in Girlie und ihrer Familie gefunden hast.
Ich kenne das nur zu gut ... sich so richtig gut übers Internet kennen gelernt zu haben und sich dann endlich persönlich zu treffen ... und auch dann stimmt
noch alles.
Leider habe ich das Gefühl, meine gute Freundin gerade verloren zu haben, deswegen hoffe ich für euch, dass eure Freundschaft noch lange bestehen bleibt!!
Dicke Umarmung, maike

Fast vergessen ... GIGANTISCHE BILDER!!!

Katinka hat gesagt…

Hallo liebe Flocke,
wie schöööön - Paris ist eine tolle Stadt, ich liebe sie :-).

Deine Fotos sind total schön und auch Dein Bericht klingt nach einer herrlichen Zeit - das freut mich sehr für Dich :-).

Liebe Grüße zu Dir
Katinka

Anonym hat gesagt…

Angelika how totally awesome!!! I loved reading your story, I loved drooling over your fantastic photos - Paris is one place I never been but dream about.

girlie hat gesagt…

oh angelika...thank you for your post!!! i am so honored. it was really wonderful to have you...those 4 days were really memorable. my invitation to canada still stands so you can come anytime.
gigi and i read your post at the same time and we are really touched by your sweet words. she is also glad to have met you. she will definitely keep in touch. you take care always and we miss you!!!

Birgit hat gesagt…

Oh Süsse, das tut mir so leid, das mit den Stempeln :(
Ich habe eben nochmal das Internet durchforstet... ich find auch gerade keine.
Wenn Du weiterhin erfolglos bleibst... soll ich Dir meine dann mal ausleihen?
Du müsstest allerdings warten, bis ich meine Parisalben fertig hab.

Michelle hat gesagt…

What a wonderful trip you had and thanks for sharing it with us. I love the way you organized the photos. They look like an ad from a travel store. :)

As always your pictures are beautiful.

Manfred Köllner hat gesagt…

hallo angelika, ein ganz toller bericht von paris, ist schon eine wunderbare stadt! die architektur und dann in dieser grösse.. ich wünsche dir ein erholsames wochenende, danke vielmals für deine zahlreichen anmerkungen!! bis bald glg manfred

gabs-art hat gesagt…

na da lag ich ja genau richtig! ich freue mich riesig für dich. hast du dir echt verdient!

Sandra hat gesagt…

ooooh das ist herrlich geschrieben Süße und ich freu mich so für Dich! Ich wünsche Dir von Herzen, daß Du noch eine Weile von den schönen Erinnerungen zehren kannst und der nächste Besuch nicht allzu lange auf sich warten läßt!

Möcht mich noch entschuldigen, daß ich so wenig hier vorbei geschaut hab in der letzten Zeit.. ich werd mich bemühen das nun wieder öfters zu machen! Es gibt immerhin immer sooo schöne Bilder zu bewundern!
*Knuddels*

Tracey hat gesagt…

So proud of you for going! What a blessed visit!! Everyone needs a chance to relax and refocus.

AND the photos! Gorgeous!

Girl Tornado hat gesagt…

Oh my goodness, grand Par-eee!! You lucky girl! I love all your pics, you are so good at assembling them into beautiful collages.