C'est la Vie

Many years ago, my eldest son and I went to Paris, France. We were both taking classes at WV State University and when we heard that credits would be given to those who took the trip with the French teacher and her students, we jumped at the chance. I had always wanted to go to Paris. It had been a lifelong dream. Even though my son, Lee, had been once before with the Foreign Study League when he was only sixteen years old, he was delighted to go again!

From start to finish, it was a wonderful trip - one of the highlights of my life! Aside from the two French teachers, I was the oldest person in the group. That didn't bother me, especially when several people we met in Paris remarked, when seeing me and my son together, that we must be on our honeymoon. I was only thirty-six at the time. The two of us escaped the others a couple of evenings and went to this little restaurant close to the hotel. It was small and quaint, the service impeccable!

The very first time we walked inside and were escorted to a booth, there were knowing smiles on the faces of the staff. We saw them, knew what they were thinking and chuckled a little - behind our hands, of course. We were given special attention and, tho' we didn't understand all that was being said, it was easy to see by their expressions that they thought they were serving newlyweds. It was amazing... and a little embarrassing for my son and me, but we went with it and had fun.

We visited the Louvre, where we saw famous art such as the Mona Lisa, Whistler's Mother and Venus de Milo, ate lunch on the beautiful Eiffel Tower, took a tour of Montmartre and I was drawn by a good looking young artist there (picture above), enjoyed a train ride to Versailles where we spent the afternoon touring the chateau and the spectacular grounds, took a cruise on the Seine, and though I missed it, the others enjoyed the dinner show at the Moulin Rouge.

No wonder my son was delighted to take a second trip. There is so much to see and do in Paris that it would take much more time than we had. Even this time, he left wishing he'd been able to see more, and says he hopes to go back one day.

I'm sure I will never return, but it will always remain one of my favorite memories - one that makes me smile every time I think of it!

Have a wonderful day!

Peggy~

This story also appears in my book, Somewhere in Heaven My Mother is Smiling~