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