Paris: The Sweetest Part

Reflecting on our 6 days in Paris - the most romantic city in the world known for its incredible architecture, top-notch museums, and scenic river walks - my favorite part had to be...

... the macarons.  

Have you ever had one?  Let me tell you, these little morsels - when done right - are just to die for.  

Actually no, the macarons were not quite my favorite part.  Don't get me wrong, they were good.  In fact, Fritz and I stopped to eat one every time we passed a macaron shop.  You won't believe how much variety you can find in a vanilla macaron.  But the truth is, we couldn't find a single Parisian macaron that could top Laura's macarons.  She is our lovely Berlin friend whose macaron shop is known to be one of the best bakeries in the whole city.  

For those of you who are thinking, "Wait, does she mean macaroons?"  The answer is no, I'm not confusing the two confections.  A macaroon is a yummy coconut morsel.  A macaron is a French, meringue-based pastry made with egg whites, almonds, and sugar.  They are usually made into colorful little sandwiches with some kind of frosting or jelly in the middle.  Generally speaking, they are a perfectly satisfying little treat, but our mission to find The Best Macaron in Paris lead to our discovery that not all macarons are created equal and, in fact, no macaron is better than Laura's in Berlin, Germany.  

In summation, if you are going to Paris for the macarons, you will surely find them and you will undoubtedly enjoy them.  However, if you are seeking The Best Macaron, you might consider Berlin instead.  

So if not the macarons, what was the sweetest part of being in Paris?  

Jardin du Luxembourg

Simple.  Sharing it with Fritz.  

We made a concerted effort to maximize our time and cover the most ground possible while we were there, hitting all the "must see" spots.  But the moments that my heart was just filled to the brim were the times when Fritz and I were sitting quietly in a garden on the little green chairs that seem to furnish every Parisian park.

Jardin des Tuileries with the Louvre in the background

Luxembourg

The Luxembourg Gardens were stunning and it felt only natural to explore them while carrying a French Baguette to supplement our picnic lunch.  

Luxembourg

Fritz and I watched tiny sailboats race around the large fountain at the top of the park.  

We made several trips to the Tuileries - the garden just in front of the Louvre.  

Tuileries

On our first evening in Paris, we settled into a pair of green chairs at the foot of the Tuileries fountain where little ducklings paddled around in circles hoping someone would toss them a piece of bread.  A few vendors were set up behind the fountain where Fritz and I purchased our first Parisian chocolate crepe along with a bubbling glass of champagne.  As we sipped and munched, we listened to the words of Adam Gopnik in his book Paris to the Moon.  Gopnik is one of Fritz's favorite essayist who frequently writes for the New Yorker.  I've referenced him several times already in this blog, which you may take as a sign that he is a writer really worth reading.  Paris to the Moon is a book of Gopnik's reflections as a New Yorker who lived in Paris for 5 years.  

Fritz and I downloaded the audiobook.  With our heads tipped in toward one another and our fingers laced together and dangling between our two chairs, we listened to the first chapter.  Around us people posed for pictures, children tossed crackers to the ducks, a light breeze rustled the spring leaves, and an old man dozed, a golden blanket of sunlight illuminating his wrinkled face.  It wasn't complicated.  It was a bit fancy - we did have champagne after all.  It was simply perfect.  Because right beside me sat the man of my dreams.  

I've always been a girl drawn to fairy tales and happy endings, but I didn't know I'd ever find myself the real Prince Charming.  My life is better because Fritz became a part of it.  And I hope 50 years from now, I will remember how it felt to sit in the Tuileries Garden holding Fritz's hand and sharing these quiet moments with my heart so full of love. 

Tuileries

Paris: The Eiffel Tower, Terrorism, and Love Installment

The Eiffel Tower: a global cultural icon of France reaching over one thousand feet tall and constructed from wrought iron lattice.  It was built in 1889 as the entrance to the World's Fair, an enormous exposition that was held at the 100th year anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, which started the French Revolution. 

I took an embarrassing number of pictures while Fritz and I walk around the structure.  

Although I have seen a million pictures and sketches of the Eiffel Tower, none of them depicted the little park under it.  Who knew there was a duck pond under the Eiffel Tower? 

As I continue to share a smattering of my Eiffel photos with you, I thought I'd include my written correspondence with an old friend from college.  She contacted me knowing I was in Paris and had been traveling throughout Europe.  After EgyptAir Flight 804 crashed into the Mediterranean Sea less than a week ago and bombs were detonated in the Brussels airport two months prior to that, my friend was understandably nervous about flying to France and wanted to hear my perspective on the matter.  I've made a few minor changes to my messages to maintain her anonymity and to fill in any gaps as I am not including the messages she wrote to me.

My dear friend,

It's great to hear from you!  So exciting that you are planning a trip to Paris!  It is my first time here and I have to say, it's amazing!  We are only here for a few more days.  There is so much to do and see, you are going to have an awesome time!

As for safety, I personally feel very safe.  I've been living and traveling throughout Europe for almost 8 months and although I sometimes get a little uncomfortable twinge in my stomach if I start thinking too hard about terrorism, I generally feel much safer in European cities than I do in US cities.  That said, the decision to come or not come is totally up to you.  If you feel like you are going to be scared the whole time, maybe it's not worth it.  I made a conscious decision to keep living my life the way I can live it and the way I want to live it, because if I don't, then I'm basically just another victim of terrorism myself.

Paris has been a targeted spot in the past 2 years, but the chances of being here if a terrorist attack were to occur again and then to be physically affected by an act of terror are sooooo minuscule.  Statistically, I am WAY more times likely to be shot in the US from gun violence than to be a victim of a terrorist attack.  Now, walking around Paris, there is military personnel in every neighborhood carrying machine guns, there is extra security at train stations, there are undercover cops checking IDs on all the trains coming into Paris, and there are metal detectors going into every museum.  Paris doesn't seem to be taking terrorism lightly from my point of view.  Seeing all the guns and extra security is a reminder that scary things have happened here, but it's also a reminder that there are many many people working to keep everyone safe.  I flew through Paris on my way to Poland in the fall and was in the Paris airport just two days after the terrorist attack in November.  I was admittedly nervous, but I'm really glad I didn't stay home.  Some members of my family came to visit us in Germany a month ago and they actually almost canceled their trip because they were scared.  They came anyway and were very glad they did.  

At the end of the day, the decision is completely yours as I said.  You do what makes you comfortable.  If that means skipping some of the super heavy tourist spots in Paris, skip them.  If it means walking to get around the city rather than taking the subway, walk.  If it means saving your trip to Paris for another year, save it.  It's your call.  I won't lie and say I don't ever think about terrorism.  I do.  I suppose there is some risk that I could be in the presence of an attack just like anyone else, but I refuse to willingly let myself be a victim of the past terrorist attacks.  Paris is beautiful and unlike any city I have ever been in!  It's huge and the architecture is amazing.  The weather is great.  The people are friendly and happy.  I'm so glad I'm here!  I feel really really lucky to be here actually.  It might just be my new favorite city in the world!  And my enjoyment of Paris is FAR outweighing any fear I had about coming here.  

I've never flown on the airline you have booked with, but there are undercover US Air Marshalls on every single international flight that is going to or coming from the US.  The security in all airports is so high right now so in some ways, being on the other side of the security check might be the safest place anyone can be at the moment.  I still wouldn't fly to Cairo or countries that are known to be occupied by ISIS, but as I said, I'm very happy to be in Paris this week.  

I hope my long-winded reflection is helpful.  Let me know what you decide to do or if you have any other questions. 

Hugs to you,

Amanda

My friend wrote back saying she was feeling much better about being in Paris.  She shared a quote worth repeating because I think the sentiment rings true for many fellow travelers: "I'm not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world."  Even though my friend was feeling better about being in Paris, the idea of flying and being in the airport made her nervous.  I wrote to her again.

Hello my friend,

I'm so glad to hear that my perspective was helpful and made you feel a bit better about traveling to Paris.  As for the airport and the airline you are flying, from what I can find through internet searches, your airline has no history of many issues so that's a good sign.  It's a French airline which I think is a good thing.  Knowing there is an undercover air marshall on board makes me feel a lot better about flying too.  Security in the French airports is certainly as high as it could possibly be.  The truth is, it's really hard these days to get any kind of weapon in past the security gates.  That's why the last airport attack happened before the attackers could even get all the way into the airport.  And now, every European airport I have been in recently has armed military personnel posted at each entrance into the airport and they walk around the baggage check and the entrance areas in groups of 2 and 3.  Like you, I also have a mild anxiety about flying that kicks in the most during take-off and landing.  During those times, I try to have a really good book that I can get absorbed in so I don't think too hard about my own irrational fears. 

When I flew through the Paris airport after the Paris attacks in the fall, I wrote some reflections if you want to read them.  Anytime I find myself getting nervous, I just try to "find the stillpoint" within myself.  It helps me relax and reminds me that I am the one who is ultimately in control of my own mind.  It's almost like my own little private meditation in the middle of a very public space.  I'm not sure I can say much more than that.  I obviously can't guarantee your safety or mine or anyone else's.  But I will say that the world has been full of problems and dangers since the dawn of time.  Terrorism is the latest topic, although even that is a lot older than people realize.  Paris had some pretty major issues with bombings and attacks back in the 90s, but people seem to forget that and we get so wrapped up in the present beliving that this is the scariest time there has ever been.  It's actually not.  

A really great writer, Adam Gopnik, made the decision to move from NYC to Paris in 1995 for 5 years.  He wrote something along the lines of, "Terrorism is a part of life.  An apartment in Paris is a miracle."  You can substitute the "apartment" for "a weekend" if you want.  That's what I'm doing in my mind.  And even though there has been danger since forever, there is also so much beauty, and joy, and love all over the place.  Paris, in particular, is a place for love.  I have never seen a more beautiful city; nor have I seen a city that is so dedicated to love.  If you do decide to fly to Paris, I hope you will be able to find that stillpoint within yourself so you can fully absorb all the beauty and love the gorgeous city has to offer.  Even in the rain, which is the forecast for today, Paris is shimmering with love. 

Amanda

Charmed

In an email exchange, a friend said to me, "You live a charmed life."  And she is right!  Sure, part of the charm comes from my perspective, my outlook, my optimism.  

I passed this window on a walk through neighborhood close by.  It means "optimists".

But part of it really is just that good things happen to me.  Good things happen to me all the time.  Maybe it's coincidence, maybe it's luck, maybe the stars frequently align in my favor, maybe someone somewhere is looking out for me, maybe the energy of the Earth just decided I deserve a good life... I don't know.  

But somehow, I ended up randomly catching the eye of a tall guy in a bar on a cold, snowy night in Ithaca, NY.  And almost exactly 3 years later, he has filled my life with friendship and adventure and wisdom and love as we share our days in Berlin, Germany where we have an incredible flat in a fabulous neighborhood.  Every day, we wake up and make more memories together.  We have our separate projects too, and we each have been building ourselves as individuals while appreciating each other's strengths and growth.  

Two years ago, I woke up in the middle of the night because Fritz was talking in his sleep.  He mumbled a few really random sentences about debt and international trade, but then he said, "All things will come together."  I can't begin to image what he was dreaming about, but I will say that every day, little by little, all things have come together.  Somehow things have just always worked out in a most beautiful way. 

I don't say all this to be boastful.  I say it because I hope with all my heart, I will always have the ability to reflect on my life and be this incredibly grateful for all the "charms" that always seem to fall at my feet.  My friend Irma has a chalkboard in her bathroom.  On it, she has written, "Grateful = Happy."  I hope I always remember that and make the most of all the good fortune that comes my way.  

Paris and Finding the Stillpoint

We heard about the terrorist attacks on Friday night after a dinner with the Bulgarian couple who lives below us.  We spent the rest of the evening watching the news on both our German tv and our English computers as the death count rose. 

Why does this happen?  What is wrong with our world?  How can humans have so much hate in their hearts?  And when, for Heaven's sake, when can the healing begin?  I realize there will never be clear answers to these questions, but that doesn't prevent me from asking them.  Two days before the attack I learned that the Pope has declared 2016 a Holy Year: A Year of Mercy.  The polarity of daily events is so extreme, it is almost unfathomable.  

Saturday after the attack was a somber day for the people of Frankfurt.  The reality of how small the world has become was apparent as we sat in a Turkish Döner restaurant in the middle of Frankfurt, Germany watching the news about Paris, France broadcasted in Turkish.  

Being so close, relatively, to France, people from the US have asked me if I am scared.  I'm not scared.  At least not right now.  I'm just sad.  I seems to me that the conflict in the Middle East is far more complicated than it can sometimes be made to seem.  There is a long history of wrong, after wrong, after wrong coming from all directions causing blurs of gray in a time when people want so badly to see everything in black and white.  I feel fortunate to have a very intelligent and well informed historian who doesn't mind explaining the complicated Middle Eastern past to me whenever I have questions.  Unsure of how to make sense of it, all I can do is reach out to people who are smarter and wiser than me.  

Old, wrong ideas do not give up without a fight. They grow more hysterical as they sense their own imminent death. 

This thought from one of my wise friends provides me with a fragile mix of both fear and comfort.  Peace could be just around the corner; if only it wasn't such a dark and dangerous corner.  I fear for the thousands of refugees who have given everything they have to escape the horror of their homeland.  Will their fellow humans embrace them and shelter them?  Or will the attacks in Paris evoke too much fear causing more walls to be erected, blocking the people who are most in need?   And can I blame people for being afraid?

In this time of radical action and reaction, I will try to follow the advice of a teacher and friend who told me to find the stillpoint of awareness in the midst of the surrounding chaos; to hold it all in my heart without quick reaction.  To find peace and love within myself and allow it to flow outward to the world around me and hope that it will travel far enough.  

On Monday, Fritz and I flew from Frankfurt to Warsaw by way of Paris.  We booked the trip to Warsaw, Poland several weeks ago and took the cheaper option by flying out of the larger French hub.  It's hard to believe that our lives have taken us straight to the heart of the current suffering. 

A view of France from the sky

We got off the plane and began to make our way through the airport.  The hallways were kind of winding but well marked.  We were looking for our terminal while simultaneously searching for a bathroom.  An elderly French woman was very quick to point us in the right direction identifying the men's room and the direction of the terminal.  The signs were pretty clear and we probably would have been fine without her help, but she was still very eager to explain the airport to us.  Fritz went into the restroom while I waited outside with our bags.  It seemed that the French woman was also waiting for someone in the bathroom.   

I dropped my gaze as I waited, but the French woman, in her French accent, had more to say to me.  

"We all have to look after one another.  It is better to communicate and talk with each other.  It doesn't help to think 'I am alone in this world.'  Not anymore." 

"You're right," was all I could manage to say back to her as we held each other with our eyes for a few long seconds.  The depth of sorrow in her eyes was crippling.  Our connection was broken when her husband came out of the bathroom and the French couple walked out of sight.  Those were the first words I heard in Paris, France.  I cried when I recounted her words to Fritz. 

French newspapers available for free in the airport