As I write this, I’m on a plane back from Paris, France. I just spent the last 10 days with my family. We had a wonderful time with a few bumps in the road. I’m actually glad to be coming home to the US, where I’m more in my comfort zone. I truly appreciated the magnificent beauty of Paris and Versailles and its rich history.
We visited the Eiffel Tower and went to the very top. The panoramic view was gorgeous, taking in the sights of the Seine River, Notre Dame, the Louvre, and the other castles and architecture.
Afterwards, we took a cruise down the Seine River and purchased a couple of paintings from a local artist. One of our biggest treats was that a friend from Paris, Thierry Mazue, met up with us on three different days and took us on a personal tour in his spacy hatchback. He taught us how to navigate through
Paris and its suburbs on the metro, train and bus systems. After a week, we felt like pros and were able to make our connections quite easily! It took a couple of days to adjust to the 7-hour time difference since we lost 7 hours, heading east. It was also a culture shock with the different language, the
smaller living quarters than resorts we were accustomed to in the US, the unknown mode of transit, the food, and just not knowing where we were at.
Thierry, a gentleman and master franchisee in Referral Institute, is a cheery fellow in his mid-50’s with dark hair and beard. Thierry’s gentle manner calmed our anxieties, and he truly made us feel welcome. He has this very charming way of smiling brightly and winking at you with these sparkling brown eyes that reminded me of Santa Claus. My family immediately took to him, especially after he treated us to some wonderful Parisian pastries. 🙂 On Sunday, we visited Notre Dame, a Catholic cathedral built in 1163.
It awed us with its statues and beautiful mosaic windows. My daughter, Maddie, posed under Joan of Arc and Saint Madeleine. We went from sacred to sexy and sassy as we saw the Moulin Rouge later that night. The women and men dancers dazzled us with their amazing colorful costumes and chiseled figures and sensual displays of entertainment. They offset the excitement with some really humorous ventriloquist
and juggling routines. The Moulin Rouge is surrounded by sultry sex shops and lovely cafes.
The girls wanted to stick around and observe, but we left and finally arrived back home after midnight due to a very interesting and long cab ride. The taxi driver couldn’t speak English, and he took us to the wrong hotel at first, calling us “stupid.” He did know that word. All is well that ends well! Monday we rested. Tuesday, we were off to spend the day at the Louvre but learned all museums are closed on that day. So we went to the Arc de Triomphe.
Napoleon built the magnificent Arc to commemorate his victory at the battle of Austerlitz. Next we visited the Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart) Bassilica. This bleached-white church has an unobstructed panoramic view of Paris. I really enjoyed this day as we got to experience more French culture. My Uncle Ray got involved in this street game, where some guy was hustling people out of money. He bet 50 euros for the chance to win 100 and lost. My husband, Steve, was on edge because he was trying to protect the family
from aggressive street salesmen who try to slip a bracelet on one’s wrist and obligate them to buy.
On Thursday, we went to Versailles and saw the extraordinary Chateau, the main palace. The place was covered in gold and ornate tapestries and statues, pure decadence, the home of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Both were beheaded in 1792 because the people were fed up with the ruling class leading a life of luxury while they were starving. Then we strolled through the vast, manicured gardens of Marie Antoinette which was relaxing. We did a lot of walking and ate a lot of bread and pasta. It will be nice to get back to a more gluten-free lifestyle.
On Friday, we went to the Louvre which was great! We shuffled our way through the crowds to the Mona Lisa. The place was so crowded with tourists it was almost overwhelming. We spent time looking at the Egyptian era and a medieval moat. We left early to go to the Catacombs but didn’t get there soon enough to enter due to the long lines. The highlight of our trip was on Tuesday evening late at night when Thierry was taking us around Paris, and we stopped by the Eiffel Tower all lit up. We hit the timing just right, when all the lights began flashing like a huge white Christmas tree! It was a magical moment.
We enjoyed sitting out on the balcony at sunset and drinking wine and talking. Everyone got along well,
we walked a lot and learned a lot.
The food was great, the people very nice, and my time with my family was priceless. It is a trip we will never forget! In January, I decided I wanted to go to Paris, but I didn’t know how I’d pay for it.
PS: If you’re really serious about creating your most magnificent life, click on the attached to see
if you qualify for a discovery session: https://www.harmonyharbor.com/discovery-session
PSS: Do you have friends and family that are also interested in creating their own destinies of
joy and freedom? Send them to: https://www.harmonyharbor.com/news-register
Peace Out,
Angie Monko
314-422-6520
