A trip of a lifetime, PARIS, FRANCE!

Yep, I got to go to Paris, France. I can’t even type fast enough to tell you how this was such an amazing trip, how a dream came true and how much I cried on the trip! When the pilot said “Welcome to Paris France” I bawled like a baby, I couldn’t make it stop if I tried! I first began to fall in love with Paris when I was in High School. I don’t remember what it was but I wanted to go backpacking to Paris. Due to circumstances it just never happened. Life got busy, mainly I got married, was working full time and had some kids. I have never looked back and thought well, “I wasted those years, I should of traveled but I never let go of the dream to go to Paris.” I wrote a blog a couple of years ago about dreams (You can read it here https://wordpress.com/post/sarookj.wordpress.com/11804 )

Well now fast forward to May 16th, 2018 and I have now just landed in a city I love but have never met. It was like a blind date but I was already in love, head over heels to be honest but yet had never meet this place that I had built up so much in my head. To be honest I was a bit scared that I had made it some big, giant beautiful place that I love, but when I get there what if I don’t think it is what I feel it should be like?! What if it doesn’t live up to my dreams?! What if I’m a bit disappointed by it all?! I never thought that I would hate it but I was worried it wasn’t going to be all that I made it out to be. It’s the day before my 36th birthday and we are boarding the plane. First I’m traveling with one of my best friends so right there it’s going to be a great time. We got our luggage all checked, and now we wait. We walked around the airport, made a phone call to a friend and ate some snacks before getting on the plane. I was a bit worried about the flight, it was the longest flight I have ever been on and my friend doesn’t like to fly. To be honest it was a great flight! We got some good eats, by airplane standards, watched some movies and I slept a broken two hours. Landing was smooth, and now we were in another country.

To be honest the airport was nothing to write home about. Looked no different than the one we left in, other then we couldn’t read the signs now! Oh, and Eiffel towers were everywhere. We managed to get to our Air Bnb apartment, it was SO cute! It was a bit of a journey to get there but once we did, we loved it.  It was very Parisian and every day a fresh market was set up and tore down, the sights and sounds were amazing. Day 1 it was my birthday and we went to the Eiffel and ate the most delicious pasta I have ever had, oh and let me tell you about the Crème brûlée. I’m drooling just thinking about it!

 This is the open air market that was set up everday, it was 4                                                        blocks long!!!!

 

Oh my, this was by far one of the best meals we had!

 

My friend Jen or as we call her, “Tall”. Yes that is really her name, Jen but when 2 of your best friends have the same name as you, you end up with nicknames. So Tall said ” I know you know you’re in Paris BUT it won’t be real until you see the Eiffel Tower”. So we found out how to get there and she was right! I was in awe at this beautiful metal landmark and I couldn’t help but be aware that my mouth may of been hanging open, I was here, IN Paris, dreams DO come true! What kind of tourist would we be if we didn’t enjoy a crepe at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower?! It was full of Nutella, and it was amazing.

 

Day 2 was Notre Dame church, wow that stain glass window is incredible! We walked the Champs-Élysées and seeing the Eiffel Tower at night from a different view. Day 3 was full of fun as well, The Louvre at night, as well at the Montrepasse Tower and of course more food!  Day 4 We also ventured to Versailles and did a river boat tour. Day 5 was a full day of rest, much needed I might add. Day 6 We ventured out to Monet’s Garden, which I can do a whole blog post just about the pure beauty of that place followed by the most amazing pizza at a small restaurant in the area we were living in.

When we had our rest day,  I went out and got us some breakfast and lunch,  croissants and a baguette sandwich, cause I mean what else would one eat in Paris?! We just chilled in our apartment and watched Netflix all day, it was needed and amazing! We also went to the War Museum in Paris and ate some more. We ate a lot, but man did we walk it off, who knew Paris has so many stairs!!!!! There was one last visit to the Eiffel Tower, one more delicious dinner and an early bed time because we headed to London, England the next day. Seven days in Paris was a dream, I often look back at the pictures to make sure I’m in them, because it just seems like a dream that I just haven’t woken up from yet.

Until next time, keep on Exploring Life.

With love,

Jen

When a dream comes true!!! Part 2 of reminders

If you are new to following me, welcome!!! I want to share a post that I put out in April 2015, because it all ties back to now. You can read it here…. 

 

So as you can tell by that one, a dream is coming true. In May I get to go to…….PARIS, FRANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have had time to process this, but my excitement has not wavered. It has been a dream for as long as I can remember. Even now to talk about it just seems crazy and unreal. It likely won’t be until I am on the airplane that it will hit me, I”M GOING TO PARIS. I imagine it will be like when I was 30 and went to Disney World for the 1st time. Tears and disbelief that I was actually there, and not watching a movie or dreaming in any way. One of the best parts is, I get to go with one of my best friends. That’s right a girls trip to Paris, good thing we don’t drink because that sounds like a trailer for a chick flick gone bad where we end up in jail.

I remember not that long ago sitting in my living room staring at a metal Eiffel tower (that sits on my coffee table to this day) and her and I talking about how we would one day go to Paris. How we would create fun memories there and just enjoy our time taking in the sites and sounds of the city. How we wouldn’t rush but rather take time and just be present. Not to live the trip behind a lens of a camera or be super strict with a schedule. Rather sit on the lawn of the Parc du Champ de Mars with cheese, baguette and journals and just take it all in. Now don’t get me wrong we will see things, lots of things like Monet’s garden, the Louvre, the Eiffel tower both day and night and Notre Dame.

 

All this to say, YES dreams do come true! I can’t lie and say I didn’t cry when I was told that a dream I have had since I was a teen was coming to pass. Because for me there have been many dreams that have YET to be realized that I have held onto, and this was a big one. I am so thankful for the God I love and serve because He is able to go above and beyond what I could of imagined would happen. Ephesians 3:20 mentions this when Paul writes “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…” This is just the beginning of what is to come, I can feel it. Some of those other dreams, well the Phantom of the Opera is one, its coming to Toronto in June, who knows what God has up his sleeves to make that one happen! I also have a dream to go to South Africa on a missions trip. I dream to see my Husband and I travel full time as our jobs in a ministry setting. Not every dream is just handed to you to fulfill, there is work involved. Saving money, prayer and speaking about those dreams to people who will encourage you in them and yes sometimes they are handed to you to just enjoy. So many dreams and a big God who can make it all happen. Now sometimes we have dreams and we let them die, well I say, resurrect them, bring them to a place where you can see what your dreaming about. Put reminders as encouragement and motivation around your place. That friend that I’m going with, Her and I would sit around and talk about the smell of the fresh bakery in the morning and the look of the Eiffel tower at night, get the idea? We spoke as those it already was happening, when in reality it looked like it wouldn’t for at least 20 years. Don’t ever let your dreams die because they where placed there for a reason by a God who loves you intimately, even before you know Him.

Until next time,

 

Jen