Aug 25, 2010

We're here! Paris!


We're here! Or at least I think we are. Night is still day, and we've spent hours in the dark telling maggie "Fia stories:" essentially, our little made up adventures about Maggie and Nanna's corgi--at the zoo, the horse stable, the park, on a hike, etc...It all feels a little like one of those dreams where you're looking for something, reaching your hands out in the dark but can't, for the life of you, get your hands, or eyes, or legs to move.

I didn't think I would ever want to travel again after the flight to paris. We had a lot of luggage--a lot. I look back now and realize that no item could be worth the pain of lugging it across the Atlantic. In total we brought almost 250 pounds of STUFF. Before you call us totally crazy, what we brought wasn't so unreasonable: 4 suitcases, a guitar, and my sewing machine (yes, a sewing machine..) Come on...this is our life...we are living abroad for a year. But after the customs line, and the baggage claim (have you ever balanced that much luggage and a car seat and a crib, and a guitar on one of those carts??) Actually we didn't have to fit the guitar on the cart because we forget it at the Charles de Gaulle airport, but that's another story. So we fill up the back of a mini van with stuff, and begin the drive towards our apartment in Montmartre.

And here is where the hero in the story comes in: Jon. Of course, my husband with infinite strength and patience. When we rented the apartment we were told it was on the fourth floor with a lift. In France, the fourth floor is actually the fifth floor, and of course there is the flight of stairs to climb to get to the lift, and after that, another small flight of stairs from the lift to the apartment. So how did we get 250 pounds of stuff up to the fifth floor after no sleep, lines, airplane exhaust in our lungs? Jon, or course. When it was all over, he was finally done, Jon came into the apartment and I watched the sweat fall in large drops from his face onto the wood table and all I could think was, after all this, how are we going to take care of our cranky, exhausted toddler?

That night we had the windows open and we could hear piano, talking, babies crying from the neighboring apartments. We looked up and saw Sacre Coeur outside our window, glowing on its hilltop, and it was kind of magical. Then it began to rain. We listened to the water falling on the stone below, and breathed in that wonderful sweet air, and for that moment, it seemed that everything would be ok.

The views from our apartment:

Walking to Sacre Coeur


8 comments:

  1. oh, Amy! sounds exhausting, but what a true adventure! I can almost feel that we are there with you. Paris looks beautiful. We have all missed you so much already. thank you for sharing with your beautiful writing! When can we skype?

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAGGIE!!!! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

    love,
    h, k, c, s, and b

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  2. Amy, it is indeed nice to reading your blog! I feel like you are next to me talking. I miss you guys too.

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  3. Amy, you're such a good writer that even though I know it's exhausting to travel with a toddler anywhere, let alone across the ocean & with 250 pounds of stuff, you still made the whole experience sound very romantic somehow! Ha! I went to live in Colombia for 2 months with my husband's family and brought a ton of my crafty supplies. At one point I thought I was nuts to bring it all, but we ended up using it to decorate for his cousin's baby shower, so I felt totally justified. :). Looking forward to reading your continuing adventures!

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  4. Amy and family...

    So ecited to follow your journey. I am so envious of your upcoming adventures. Thank you for sharing.

    xx
    Sarah

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  5. You guys are pretty cool.

    Tell Magda Happy Birthday from me....

    Keep writing.

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  6. It was great seeing you on Skype. I miss you all. Have fun out there.

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  7. Hi Amers,

    We really enjoy reading your blog and seeing pictures of your adventures! Love u! J & L

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  8. omg! how did I NOT know that you are in Paris for a year?! I don't envy your plane trip (and lugging the luggage up the stairs), but I do envy that year you'll have. :) (it's my fantasy to live abroad for a year). Have a WONDERFUL time. Please continue to write about your experiences there. Have a macaron from Pierre Hermes from me (the rose ispahan)...and some tea from Mariage Freres! And ice cream from Berthillon...and a falafel from L'as Du Fallafel. :)

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