Fondue, Phantoms and Farewell to Europe!

This trip has been, in a way, a pilgrimage for me. With the death of so many of my loved ones so close together at the beginning of the year I needed this time to journey and reconnect with myself, with my family, with my husband and with the world abroad. To confront my past with memories from places shared with my young self, and to share it in the way I choose with my own future; my children. To watch each of my kids take something different from it, and know that I am able to allow them the freedom to choose their own path whether it is what I would have picked or not has been the affirmation I needed. Liam and his architecture, Clara and her devout religious side, Juliet's love of people and Liana's reconnection with our French families have all come across loud and clear. What a marvelous experience it has been - sickness, stolen train tickets, tantrums and all!

And today is our last day - apart from a layover in Malaysia. It's amazing how much stuff we managed to acquire from our trip. My careful packing from the start of the trip has expanded to an overload of stuff. Six suitcases all packed up, with overflowing backpacks and plastic bags of nicknacks and souvenirs galore. Oh dear. I guess at the end of almost two months it would have been hard not to accumulate so much stuff.... Now all I can think of is how are we going to get it down the stairs tomorrow!

After two months on the road and constantly changing cities, hotels and countries I must admit that I am looking forward to a few things, like cuddling with my cat and my own fluffy bed. And as the rabbit of the family I am looking forward to eating nothing but salads for a whole week! But today is for enjoying the last of the amazing cuisine that Paris has to offer. After a sweaty morning of stuffing suitcases we treat ourselves to a cheese fondue lunch in the Latin Quarter. Mmmmmm...

A salad started us off and then come the cheesy, gooey carbs. Iron pots with melted cheese and long skewers to dip the bread, mushrooms, potatoes and other starchy goodness into. Oh my, time for a walk to burn it off as best we can.

First up, walking through the lovely latin quarter with it's interesting shops and book stores. Randall and Clara finally find a book store that has a small English bible. (They have been on this quest since they visited St. Katharine's monastery in the Sinai peninsula!) Her love of religion has flourished on this trip and it's important to feed the dreams before they whither on the vine, so to speak. So, karma steps in and delivers us to a Canadian book store that has just about every book under the sun. A beaming Clara finds her mini sized bible and Liam discovers a latin/english phrase book, as his new goal is to learn to read latin. Ah, the things that spark the mind while you are traveling.

So with the purchases wrapped up in a little bag we follow the Seine to a metro station. The kids have begged us to check it out at least once, so here we go! Once you get the hang of changing stations it makes for a very efficient way to cross a big city with little fuss. Although, just buying the single tickets I thought it was overpriced. But hey, it's all in the experience.

Destination: Palais Garnier! Otherwise known as the Paris Opera House - which is one of the many resplendent symbols of Paris, especially if you've ever fallen under the Phantom's spell....

Some say it's gaudy, some say it's a reflection of the perfection of opera, and then there are some who walk by and don't look up from their iphone to notice the grand building that has featured in so many movies.

Enjoying the cool marble

Interior Palais Garnier

Now, you must have gathered this far into the story that I love my history, and architecture can be a wonderful tool, a sort of barometer of the feelings of the day. Think stark, gray cement block buildings from the cold war era, or the Colosseum as standing testament to the might that Rome represented at its bread and circus' heyday.

So here we stand in front of a building dripping with gold and ornate statuary depicting all the famous composers of the western musical world. I have to say I am not very familiar with this time period in France. It would be the time of Napoleon III, who was both the first president of France as well the last monarch. (And in that order!) It was a time of restoration and putting France back on the map after the wars with Napoleon the first diminished the country in the eyes of the world. Under Napoleon III most of modern Paris was rebuilt and the city gets it's prosperous and well planned look from this rebuilding. The people of the time would have felt proud and happy to have their dark days behind them and looking forward to the future.

Charles Garnier, architect of the building

So here we are. The kids are all ready for the interior tour. They've heard the sound track from Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom", and know the storyline. Did you know that the real chandelier did partially fall into the audience in the 1890's and killed one person, so even that part of the play has some base in history. Someday I would like to come properly, all fancied up with a spot of champaign in my hand and listen to one of my favorite opera's here. But for the time being I'm happy to be coming in the mid afternoon with the family and exploring the golden splendor that permeates every room of the Palais Garnier.

The view down the Avenue De L'Opera from the opera house balcony

We manage to escape the opera and ballet store that we had to exit through, not as easy as it looks with a budding Opera Diva (Clara) who has vowed to someday sing on stage here, and a prima ballerina (Juliet) who dances everywhere she goes. But seriously, the prices were beyond outrageous! Bribery usually works well in these circumstances, especially in the way of the cookie store across the street.

But we are heading back home, via the Jardin Des Tuileries, so the munchkins can blow off some kid-like steam - as only kids can do. A good game of chase can blow any cobwebs away, especially when you can jump in and out of perfectly trimmed Parisian hedgerows. The fits and giggles make the heart happy! And the pictures will make us all laugh for years to come.

And with all the cooties run out of the legs we make our way past more Wallace Fountains (where we must stop and drink) and along the quant little book stalls that line the River Seine. The kids INSIST that we pick up a lock so that we can be like all the other lovers who have cemented their love with a padlock chained to the bridge. So for 1 Euro we are all happy. Liana proudly takes the picture while we lock it on. Not that we are worried about our relationship, but the kids just love all the pomp and circumstance!

Mum and Dad cement their love with a lock, courtesy of the kids :)

late afternoon nap, all this sightseeing is tiring work!

Back at the apartment the girls nap out while we pack the remaining souvenirs (more!) into our back packs and then head out for one last evening of decadent food. Our family has invited us to celebrate their Friday night with a cheese feast. I think Liana has died and gone to heaven. At least I will know why she moves to France to become a chef in a few years time! It's a lovely and late evening with all of our children (they have two boys) having a grand old time, playing music and performing magic tricks for each other while us adults can discuss the cares of the world and the differences and similarities in lives on opposite sides of the globe. A perfect way to end the day, and the trip.

In the taxi home that night I look out at a sleeping Paris and reflect back on our trip. We've all gotten things out of it. Different aspects to take away. Traveling has always been a true love for both myself and Randall and it feels elementally right to share it with the children. They are kindred spirits when it comes to the road.

I was once asked what animal I would most identify with, and I answered completely spontaneously "a great sea bird, like an albatross"... Only now do I realize how true that is for me. I love the openness and freedom of life on the road. To weather a few storms and enjoy the rainbows and sunsets. But I also have a great need for a rookery where I can raise my young, enjoy a stable and steady life and take time to reflect on the journeys that have been and are yet to come.

Taxi ride

I may not pray to the same god as my daughter but I know that the divinity of the universe is smiling down.

Blessed be.