I hate that I had to leave Paris, because I fell in love with it. Even though I speak very little French, I loved hearing the language more than any other. Also, the people I met were fantastic (possibly because they were selected and introduced via an excellent person), and I loved the weather - it rained only a little, I saw the sun some, and most of the rest of the time it was just grey skies. I love grey skies and rain, so the city had immediate appeal.
I probably need to start at Raclette, and work my way through the story. Raclette is kind of like fondu - a social and communal rare eating experience which includes cheese that gets melted on little teflon trays individually, meat (in every case it was pork-related meats), and potatoes. Bread and other vegetables make an appearance, but it is usually potatoes, cheese and meat. It is a heavyish meal, and upon arrival, my host Elvis had a small raclette party at his house that evening. I helped him set up as best I could, after a day of travel. I love hostessing/entertaining, and was staying with him, so it was a natural fit. He had two couples come over, and one such couple had two kids too - one was 7 and an amazing performer (she danced several times after dinner to "Moves Like Jagger") with the strobe party lights on, as her little sister, at the ripe age of less than 1, roamed around looking exactly like a miniature version of Bernie Mac in a pink onesie. It was indeed a unique evening, and meeting Elvis again along with his friends was a blast!
The following day we slept in, which felt fantastic. Elvis told me that we had been invited to lunch with another group of his friends, so I quickly got ready. On the way to lunch, he told me that I was in for a surprise during lunch. I guessed it - raclette. Raclette is a bit of a production, so it is really a rare occurrence in actuality. However, there we were, heading over to another raclette party. This time, mushrooms were a variation on the theme. The company, again, was fabulous. The daughter of the host family had made a cake for dessert called a "Conversation Cake" and we talked almost until the sun went down.. We met up later with another friend, and in every case up until that point, the conversations were a bit scandalous. I learned a lot of new French words, and learned how to effectively swear as well. This is important to me, of course.
The following night...... we had Raclette! Yes. Three days in a row. When you eat it you can't really eat anything else for the rest of the day. I liken this to a Thanksgiiving meal. Of course, fresh from surgery, I had to watch my intake, and successfully navigated this after the first evening. The third raclette evening was fantastically fun, as one friend I had already met came over and brought his girlfriend, and then another guy came over to join. We all probably drank a little too much, and laughed a ton. In every case, Elvis' friends were not native English speakers, so they were accommodating and hilarious as the evening progressed.
Elvis has like 18 jobs right now, so he also had to go to work, and I was able to walk around, see sights, take pictures, and further individually bond with his incredible cat, Bombay. Bombay is a new addition to the household, and in fact, Elvis has never had a pet, but his cat is a great one. Bombay slept near me or on me every night after the first night. Purring. Constantly. Made me miss Blue and Mac so much, but Bombay was a great surrogate (surrocat?).
Paris is an incredible city. I was able to laugh and cry in its midst. I was able to have some personal beliefs challenged and even changed while there, and I LOVED hearing the people speak. The men, again, were gorgeous. Really, most everyone was, and they dress way better than Americans, by and large. I felt like a bit of a shlep, but whatever. I dress better at home...... no. No I don't. My damn foot problem has limited that. Speaking of, I can't WAIT to burn these shoes that I have been walking in. They have no support left, reek like the devil, and make my feet HURT. Ugh. I wanted to replace them several countries ago, but due to my financials (read The Berlincident), it wasn't feasible. My feet can't WAIT to get home! The rest of me was upset to leave the "City of Lights" and my gracious host and host cat. I am sure he needed/wanted his house back, but I miss them already. I can't wait to come back and have a more "in depth" Paris experience. I was able to do a bus tour of the city, and some fantastic pictures were captured, not only of Paris, but also of Bombay (the cat).
Per Facebook:
"There are some rare songs that so completely move me that I wish I had written them. Today while walking through Paris, my chosen soundtrack was Coldplay, and "Fix You" came on. I had to sit and listen three times (actually four) and just cry. As fabulous as my trip has been, I am still healing my heart, my stomach, my feet and my soul. Have to give my emotions their moments. Authentic living......"
"Leaving Paris - train to a train to a plane to a train - I am a little bit devastated to leave the city. But London awaits - my last stop on Clarity Road. .I have learned so much - about the world, about myself..... It has been epic. A very big shout out to my amazing host, Elvis. What an incredible person! Much love to you and Bombay!"
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