Paris AGAIN?...Mais Oui!

Paris AGAIN...Mais Oui!

Sitting on the TGV at Gare de Lyon, I have to wonder what new adventures await me at the other side of this journey.  A short trip, but as always I am making the best of the opportunity.   

Using miles to upgrade my seats gets harder and harder to do.  Less and less opportunities are available each time I try to use the miles.  This time, giving a 6 week window for travel, the only flights I could get was a flight into Paris, and home from Amsterdam 5 days later.  Many people would have passed up the opportunity because of the short stay, but I knew it was worth getting here, whatever the limitations.   And here I am...or was, I guess I should say.  

The train is now moving and I am heading to a new 'big adventure'.  I was content to spend four days in Paris and then take the train to Amsterdam.  I reserved a night at the hotel in Giverny and was looking forward to more time at the beautiful gardens there.  I've seen them in spring and summer and now I would have the opportunity to see them in fall.  And I was looking forward to seeing my friend the French artist there and to giving him a print of the photo of him painting that I took last visit.  That photo won me first place in the competition at my photo club, subject- happiness.  

However, as I am apt to do, I changed my plans.  I had the framework to plan within, but that was my only limitation.  And so I decided to add a new destination to this trip.  As much as I love paris, I love new experiences, so the research began.  How many times I've planned something and then wondered what in the world I was thinking as the trip came closer.  This is no exception.

Browsing through possible train travel ideas, I discovered a town in the French alps, Chamonix.  At first it seemed impossible to reach in a limited time, but as things do when they were meant to be, it worked out perfectly and at this moment I am on a fast train to Geneva, only 3 hours to enter a whole new world.  After a short time to enjoy Switzerland, I have a shuttle ride scheduled to take me back into France, for a couple of days in the French Alps, in the village of Chamonix, where the Olympics were held long ago.  

I was in Switzerland years ago with Cesar, it was the best birthday I've ever celebrated.  A walk in the Alps, Swiss fondue, two birthday cakes in two countries on my actual birthday, and presents...yes a birthday I'll never forget. And the beauty, the magnificent beauty of the Alps.  So how could I not take advantage of seeing the Alps once again, another part, in another country.  Beauty awaits!

But did this change of plans mean I had to forego seeing the beauty of fall in Giverny?  It seemed so.  A disappointment, but you can't do everything...or can you?  Continuing creative planning, I figured out a way to fit in a trip to the gardens.  Now they aren't easy to get to, but a plan took shape which seemed possible...

On my arrival into CDG airport, I went through customs, took a shuttle to the other terminal where the RER train left from.  With some help from a nice man from New Zealand, I met on the shuttle, I was able to get to the ticket office where I purchased my ticket into Paris.  When I arrived at Gare du Nord, we parted ways, and I crossed the street to my hotel.  It was too early to check in so I grabbed some things from my suitcase...my camera, the matted print of the artist and my day bag, and rushed out to be on my way to Giverny.   Monets fall garden awaited, and although I'd had only an hour's sleep on the journey across the ocean, nothing was going to stop me from my visit.  It was the only time I could fit it in, so sleep or no sleep, I'd squeeze in a trip to Giverny so another thing would be ticked off my list, fall at the gardens.  I found the train to Gare St. Lazarre, got there, walked the two blocks to the other train station, purchased a ticket for the train to Vernon and was ready to go, by 9:45...the plan worked and I made it!

The train was late, but when it arrived the busses were waiting to take all the people the rest of the way to Giverny.  A few more minutes and we were riding up the familiar road to the parking lot.  I recalled my first trip there, just over 6 years ago, what anticipation I had experienced. I could barely contain myself that first time I anticipated the arrival to the gardens.  Now it was a comfortable feeling, I knew what to expect, no less exciting, just different.

As I walked to the gardens, I realized that I had never doubted I would see Chris, the artist, but perhaps I wouldn't.  And I was carting around the 11 x 14 print still.  The weather was cool, a pleasant happening for me, but sprinkling.  What if it rained?  I hadn't thought of that possibility, and then I realized it wouldn't rain, those things don't happen on my trips...and other than a few sprinkles a couple of times, I was right.  

Walking up the road, i saw there was an easel and some paintings where Chris painted, but no Chris.  As I got closer he walked out, he'd taken cover in the rain, but it had stopped.  He saw me and smiled, I'm not sure he really placed where he knew me from at first but I reminded him of our time in the gardens in springtime and then I handed him the large padded envelope that contained his picture.  He loved it!  He was so touched and thrilled.  How happy I was that I had gone to the trouble to prepare it and drag it halfway around the world!  I could tell it is something he will always treasure.  We chatted and got caught up on the last few months...he had had a show there.  Then the amazing thing came up, it was his last afternoon there!  He was leaving to go to Grenoble for a show and to visit his mother for a couple of weeks, one more day, even an hour later, and I would have missed seeing him!  Isn't it strange when things work out that way, that well?  He said he would wait for me after seeing the gardens before he left, so I headed in.  I'd given him some of my cards of the gardens to give the gardener.  

The gardens were beautiful...flowers taller than me!  Rich colors and looking up to see them, against a blue sky (the rain had gone away), I was struck by the wonders in the world, the synchronicity of life.  How had everything come together just perfectly for this day?  Yes, I'd worked and planned for it, but so much more than me made it happen!  The gardens were lovely, but not like spring, which remains my favorite time to visit.  I strolled for about an hour, it was enough really.  There were few people so it wasn't packed, making it a pleasant visit.  

On my way out I saw the lady who is the caretaker of the home. She had been quite harsh with me because apparently I'd had the wrong ticket when I was in the gardens in the spring.  I had brought a card I'd made with what I thought was a love,y picture I took of apple blossoms in front of her part of the house, and as I was leaving, there she was by the exit.  She doesn't speak English, but I said excuse me and handed her the card and said it was for her.  She was aghast and kept questioning the gift..."pour moi"?  Oui, I replied, pour toi.  In very broken English she pointed to the windows of the part of the house she lives in and said she lives there.  I added with her cat.  She was obviously touched with the gift, many merci's and I think a smile at one point.  I left feeling happy that I'd seen her, she was obviously touched by the gift.  I smiled...

After a short goodbye to my artist friend I wandered back to the bus that would be the start of my journey back to Paris and finally to sleep.  Mission accomplished, I'd see the gardens in fall and delivered gifts from across the ocean.