Living Loving and Traveling with Èmilie

June 4, 2019 The experiences at both Charles De Gaulle and Detroit airports today has to be some of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever experienced. I was made to check my carry-on bag and was quoted one price but charged a different. Not only that, I had to stand in line again for 2 hours to pay for the bag. Staff was constantly cutting the line making my wait longer. I can appreciate the fact that security screenings are important and don’t mind having to do them. As I went to get on board, my boarding pass would not scan. The only thing said to me in English was to step aside, everything else was in French. We basically played charades to figure out what they needed me to do. I managed to have to empty my bags and get frisked. When we arrived back in Detroit, it was the same thing all over. They said I had “suspicious” areas on my body. I can understand my leg as it was swollen, but the lady even frisked it with my pant leg up. I also had my bags searched again because I forg...

June 3, 2019 Today was a day for last minute errands and shopping. We went back to the Latin Quarter. I could spend an entire week there and still feel like it wasn’t long enough. This picture is in a garden next to Shakespeare and Company. I love all the flowers I keep seeing. I think when I get home, I’m going to have a picture album made of the trip and have some of the pictures put onto canvas. This really has been an amazing trip and I’m already looking forward to my next trip back.

June 2, 2019 Today after breakfast, Lane, Ben and I went back to the Arc De Triomphe to do some shopping. I was excited to find my favorite puff pastries from Odette again. Those things are so delicious. While I didn’t find much on my shopping trip, I did find a new mug to add to my collection from Starbucks. I love that Starbucks has been a huge part of the trip for me. I would venture to say that this has been my one comfort from home that I was glad I could have. I was also excited to try the different foods at different Starbucks in different countries. I feel like the ones in America need to up their game.

June 1, 2019 Today we took the train to London. The trip was amazing! This was my second time visiting London. I enjoyed riding The London Eye, we ate Fish and Chips, took a double decker bus tour, did some shopping, saw Buckingham Palace from the outside and rode over the London Bridge. Please note the Trump sticker on the phone booth. It kind of sums up my feelings for him and what he is doing to the world right now. Those phone booths are disgusting though.

May 31, 2019 The Seine River is one of the neatest places. There are so many things to do along or on the river. We passed by many people sitting on the banks enjoying a glass of wine or a picnic. If you walk across one of the bridges, you might be lucky enough to hear a street performer. There is also the river boat cruise, which we did and where the picture was taken.

May 30, 2019 This little cottage looks like the post that makes its way around Facebook asking “Would you stay  here for 30 days with no internet or phone.” If this was the place, I would most definitely say yes. I  would be perfectly happy and content to stay here without any modern amenities. Just give me a  couple good books and some paper and pens and I would be satisfied.

May 29, 2019 Today’s visit to the Arc de Triomphe brings to light a topic that much of France seems to have skirted around or gave minimal effort to. The topic is Accessibility. Paris, itself claims that it has made improvements to accessibility accommodations. While this may be true, it wasn’t anything to give accolades for. It is still lacking in many ways. I would be curious to know what they think would be considered an improvement. During this trip, I have noticed that elevators in general are hard to come by. There might be an escalator, but it’s still not sufficient for someone in a wheelchair. To get to most attractions, the person also needs to plan way in advance. This could mean planning for an Uber, but even that isn’t guaranteed. The Uber drivers could often be seen driving past and not stopping. The following pictures show exactly what a person in a wheelchair must deal with just to get to the Arc de Triomphe. The tunnel to walk under the road is not wheelchai...

May 28, 2019 It’s hard to believe that seventy five years ago, these waters in Normandy, France were stained red with soldier’s blood from the D-Day invasions. There are still large slabs of concrete in the waters. There are still craters in the grounds above the waters. But to look out at the water, all you see is beautiful clear blue water. The clearness resembles that of the water in the Caribbean. Visiting today was quite eye opening. We live a bit of a sheltered life in America. We really have never seen war in our country. But to see the sites in person brings a bit of a reality to it. My grandfather’s did not serve in Europe, but it was hard to not think that they too saw battles in the Pacific. Not that I wasn’t thankful before, but seeing Normandy especially makes me thankful for my freedom.

May 27, 2019 Today we went for a walk at The Palace of Versailles Garden. I really enjoyed it. The gardens were beautifully done with so many different flowers and statues. There was also a pond with paddle boats in it. I believe the Palace was closed today, so instead we walked through the Garden to the bottom. I would love to live close to a place like this. It was nice to be out walking in the garden and down to the area at the bottom. This place really impressed me with its beauty. Since the Palace was closed today, we will come back a different day to tour inside the Palace.

May 26, 2019 For some reason every time someone asks for my name for an order, no matter if I spell it or not, it’s never correct. (I don’t think my mother knew what she was doing to me when she gave me such a crazy unique name.) This seems to be the closest they could come. Every time it’s written on my cup, I can hear Meryl Streep’s character “Miranda” in “The Devil Wears Prada” calling for “Emilie.” I really don’t mind all the miss names…just don’t call me late to dinner.

May 25, 2019 Today a group of us went to Taittinger’s in Reims to take a tour and try the champagne. The tour was actually walking way down deep into some caves beneath the building where the champagne is kept while it ages. It was neat to hear some of the history and see the caves. When the tour was over, we were given 2 glasses of champagne to try. One was aged for 10 years and the other was a mix of years. The following picture is a bit more on the wild side than what I would usually be, but I can’t help but enjoy some champagne. If only that was really the case. While I did enjoy sipping some champagne, the tasting area didn’t really have any tables, so we carried around 2 glasses each. It was so much fun though. I would like to go back someday and do more samplings.

May 24, 2019 Today we visited Angelina Paris café and enjoyed some of the finest hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted. It was like chocolate melted straight into a cup. I may or may not have had 3 cups because it was that good. I didn’t try any of the pastries though. We also witnessed a protest. The participants had on yellow vests, but I’m not sure whether they were a part of the movement that has been gaining world attention protesting the government. It seemed as though it may have been some health care workers protesting. The lady in this picture has a sign saying that she is a nurse. She goes on to ask what is wrong and says that everything is wrong and that she is being destroyed. It makes me wonder if maybe here they are overworked and underpaid as well.

May 23, 2019 This is another one of those moments I’ve waited my whole life for. It was a bit more anti-climactic  than I was anticipating, but amazing just the same. All my life, people have talked about seeing the Mona Lisa and how great it is. When we first walked past the room where the picture hangs, it was not entirely obvious that was its location. When we realized that was it, we walked into a room with white walls. The painting was hanging in the middle of the room behind a huge glass case. People were swarming about the barricaded area to get a glimpse. As we approached the front of the area, all I saw was a painting that was about the size of something that would be hung in a home. This is not to say that it's not a fabulous work of art, but the small size of it surprised me. I don't know the actual size, but to say I was shocked by the size is an understatement. Never -the- less, I enjoyed the painting and getting to see the details in person and up close.

May 22, 2019 This is one of my first views of the Eiffel Tower from the top of the Pantheon. This is almost like a religious experience for me. Ever since I was a kid, I can remember seeing pictures and wanting to see it someday. I wasn’t expecting to see it when I did, but once I caught a glance I couldn’t stop staring. I can’t wait till we actually go to the top of it. The experience was also a bit emotional as well. My grandmother and I had a conversation shortly before she passed about our first trip to Europe. When I told her where I was going, she remembered that we didn’t make it to France but told me that she always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower. I feel like this is one of those moments that cements for me that traveling is what I’m meant to do to carry on our family tradition of it. This is one day I will never forget.

May 21, 2019 You have to love a man who tries to insert himself in the Bible. I will give King Louis IX that he had good intentions, but that is some serious narcissistic behavior. I’m finding the history of everything to be really interesting. I would love to come back when I have more time to spend. I could sit and look at this stained glass all day. It’s so beautiful and full of history. I can only imagine what some of the churches have withstood during the World Wars. That is a true testament of craftsmanship.

May 20, 2019 Planes, trains, bus it doesn’t matter to me. I’m traveling just the same. We are heading to Paris by train! It sounds simple, but I’m super excited to experience different means of transportation we don’t really have much of in the States. There is something to be said for riding a train and being able to see the area as you pass by. I could see myself doing this on a regular basis. This view is absolutely amazing!

May 19, 2019 We spent the day in Ventimiglia Italy. The day was amazing even though it was a Sunday and almost everything was closed. I chose this picture for my blog because it brings about so many questions for me. This bag was laying at the train station by a trash can. I’m assuming the worst case scenario in that someone was either pick pocketed or something along those lines. But for real WTF... Someone made the comment that it was probably peed on. Maybe who knows...But worse, what if the owner of this bag is looking for it or if there is sensitive info in it. It felt completely wrong to me to leave it, but it also felt wrong to pick it up. I’m not in America and can’t just call the people up. However, I’m not sure taking it to the police is the right answer either. I’ve been told that people usually go looking for their belongings. This situation definitely makes me more aware of my surroundings and will hold onto my bag that much tighter.

May 18, 2019            This is a picture taken in the spot where you can see Monaco, Italy and France all from the same place. The view is amazing. Every time I think it can’t get better, I’m completely blown away just by the landscape alone. Just being near the water is relaxing and paradise. I can’t wait to see what awaits us on the rest of the trip.

May 17, 2019 Today we went to a school to teach Jr High kids about American Culture. It was so much fun talking with the kids and answering some of their questions about our culture. They also really seemed to enjoy the candy we gave them as they answered questions about our presentations. The girl in the picture was very helpful. She not only encouraged her fellow classmate to answer during group time, but she also helped with a few other language barriers. She said she used to live in Texas and missed it. But what a great opportunity for her to experience living in different places and cultures.

May 16, 2019 This is the beach directly across from the school where we spent lunch time. I can see me becoming a teacher or maybe interpreter at this school just to spend my lunch hours in this gorgeous environment. It makes me wonder if they appreciate what they have in their own neighborhood. This definitely beats where I normally spend my lunch hour. This too, was a moment that confirmed I’m heading in the right direction.

May 15, 2019 I’m super excited to be here today. While I’m not a person to follow celebrities, I have never been to  an international event. This is probably as close as I will ever come to attending something with a  celebrity. Really, I’m just as excited to check and see what movies are being presented this year. I’ve  also decided that I want to vacation here as well. This is like the perfect place to vacation. The water  and beaches are beautiful, the shopping amazing and most important there are neat restaurants to try.  I’m sure there are more posh places to vacation, but this is like an all in one place for me. 

May 14, 2019 This view was only one thousand five hundred seventy-six steps to the top. Just kidding, really, I  have no idea other than it was a long way up. The fact that I climbed all of those steps was amazing  to me. I never would have dreamed that I could still climb all those steps with minimal issue. It goes  to show that as long as you keep trying, it will happen eventually.

May 13, 2019 I completely underestimated McDonalds. We have all been to a million different McDonalds. After so many they all seem the same. I take for granted that there are other cultures and tastes around the world. I’m completely jealous that the McDonalds in the United States don’t have bakeries. This is obviously isn’t a traditional French breakfast, or even a breakfast of champions for that matter. But it’s an appreciated new experience just the same. This beautiful Carmel macchiato and carton of macaroons make me excited to try new foods.

May 12, 2019 Europe is still my dream place after all these years. After high school, I lived in Sweden for a summer with my grandmother and some family friends. During that trip I experienced 9 European countries. Today starts a new journey for me. This picture was taken over the North Sea coming onto land in Amsterdam. This picture makes me excited for new adventures. It’s also a strange feeling to describe, but it’s almost a feeling of coming home.