Bringing Down the White Picket Fence
A Couple's Quest to Live Globally
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Of all of the photos that Paul has taken over the years, this is one of my favorites. The lady in the hat, sitting by the Seine in front of the Louvre. It is often assumed that I posed for this photo, but I assure you, my arms and legs aren’t nearly that toned, and I do not own a purse or hat that glamorous. The tourists flock to the museum to… Read More
This is grocery shopping in the south of France. The air is filled with the sweet aroma of all that is local here. From piles of ruby red cherries to olives and cheese, you’ll be tempted to wander and taste. The Whole Foods of Aix en Provence. Prime membership included.
Paul took this photo on the nighttime Fat Tire Bike Tour of Paris. It is the one thing we highly recommend everybody do if it’s your first time visiting this beautiful city. It is essential that you take both the day tour and the night tour. You’ll jump on a beach cruiser and pedal down city streets that lead you to these breathtakingly gorgeous and remarkable views. On the day tour, you… Read More
I spent the night in this dress, sandwiched in an economy class seat in a pressurized capsule that transported me across the Atlantic. In France, in the early morning hours, Paul lugged my suitcase up the narrow wooden steps to our third floor apartment, and I pulled up a chair to my favorite window in all of Paris. Here I’ve watched a man stop daily to feed the pigeons. I’ve watched young… Read More
Another cafe; this one in Provence. How many stories can we tell with just one photo? I’d say the guy in the shorts, legs crossed and hands placed perfectly upon his leg, is pretty pleased with his ponytailed friend. She’s said something that’s made him proud. He’s impressed. What about the woman just behind the lady in the fancy dress and the cute shoes? She’s at the cafe next door, but she’s… Read More
This photo was taken out the window of our hotel room in Lyon, France. Usually, I remember the names of every hotel and restaurant we’ve stayed at, but this one, I can’t recall. This usually means there wasn’t anything memorable about it, or I didn’t like it, but there are so many memories from our stay in this hotel that are just…funny. Here are a few: You had to walk through the… Read More
This is pure happiness. Headphones, a good book, and the French countryside. This high-speed train swept me from Paris to Lyon and then to Provence. Another summer after a stressful school year (as if I knew what stress was then). This country taught me how to take deep breaths. I savored every minute of calm, and now I long to go back.
I could look at this photo for hours. There is so much life here; so many stories, dreams, worries, and thoughts. There are people smiling, enjoying a night out with friends, while others sit and speculate. I could pick any person from this scene and tell their tale. Of course, it would be a work of pure fiction, as I’m sure I could never truly know what that man is wondering about,… Read More
This is my Paris. Several years ago, Paul and I rented an apartment in the 1st Arrondissement of the beautiful city of Paris. We stayed for the entire month of July. If you travel back in time on our blog, you can find many posts about our experience and learn about how it significantly changed our lives for the better. This weekend angry protesters lit the Champs Elysees ablaze in… Read More
This July, Paul and I celebrated 5 years of marriage in Aix-en-Provence. After a week of city living in an apartment in Paris, we boarded a train at Gare de Lyon and headed for the more relaxing part of our vacation: a smaller city in the south of France and a hotel with a pool. Before I begin, I would like to thank Julie, author of the The Provence Post, for all of her help… Read More
Bringing Down the White Picket Fence 