Bonsoir…It has been a few weeks since I have visited here. If you remember, the last time was when I wrote about celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. Since then we have been away on a very wonderful vacation…to Paris. One of the things that I learned from this trip is it confirms my belief that taking photos is a must. Each day as I review this trip while I’m editing, I can slip right back into this Cafe above. I just wish I could still have that cappuccino and one more salted caramel macaroon.

Paris is a city that gets into your soul and does not let go. You want more, more time, more croissants, more sitting at a sidewalk cafe sipping wine and people watching. More museum time and book store time. Please one more creamy, smooth, steaming hot chocolate in it’s tiny mug. So rich, the taste lingers on your tongue and a bigger mug would be to much. One more morning of throwing open the shutters and hearing the street music of children running to school across from our room. Please, one more day of pastel colors and brightness in everything thing from houses to fabrics, flowers to fruits and veggies at the markets. One more baguette with creamy brie cheese. Of course, one more day of shopping. I got to this late. One more is not coming though…Not yet, but we are already starting a list for next time. Yes, hopefully if we can stay healthy, there will be a next time and we won’t wait too long. Perhaps I can make it to Monet’s Garden to visit the lily pond once again.

Needless to say, it was a photographers paradise. I took 855 photos. Tossed out a few but kept many because I am not ready yet to let go until I’m confident that I have saved all the important ones. I am plugging away at it. Paris is different when editing. It has a unique look. Different than most places I have been and I hope to be able to present it in it’s best and honest style. So the process has begun and will be on going and I’d love to share with you how lovely and colorful and so very special it is. This is just a start, but do not fear, there will be many more photos to share.. This, I hope is just a sampling of what the City of Light and Love is all about.

Adding a bit of color to the scene. Bikes are abundant, bright colors everywhere. Yellow seemed to be a favorite this day. Flowers are a staple on every street corner…

Beautiful wood carvings in lots of the doors and windows. Hand done so many years ago. This wonderful hidden garden. Quiet and away from the crowds A new home for the love locks since losing their spot on the rail crossing the Seine…

Parisian’s shop everyday. Small apartments, small kitchens mean small refrigerators. That explains the beauty of their food. Always fresh. We visited both of these shops while there. The cheese is like no other place in the world. Just amazing.

So this is a small snippet of our trip. Actually it is the first two days but fortunately it shows enough that hopefully you get a sense of this wonderful city. All of these photo’s were very close to our tiny little hotel, which was the sweetest and most comfortable place to stay. I loved the shutters on the windows. Each time I pushed them open I felt like I should be in a movie scene or something. No screens, no bugs just street noises and sunshine each morning.

Paris is unique and for those who say it is not very friendly, this is our third time visiting and we have never experienced that. The people were lovely and friendly. They live a life so different than ours and that is what I think attracts so many of us. Their life is spent outside. Because the apartments and homes are so small in Paris, the cafe’s become an extension of their homes. They sit and read while sipping an expresso or wine, they meet their friends at the cafe, they do their business meetings there and at night it becomes family time, just chatting the night away. I love that. We need more of that here instead of being so isolated and insulated.

It’s art, history, creativity of all matter of things. It’s outdoor parks with ponds and chairs free for sitting…It’s beautiful gardens and museum. It’s tiny lights at night in the cobblestone lanes. Public transportation for everyone so close and reasonable. It’s the food. Oh my, the food but I will share more of all of this with you as I move through the re-living of this special vacation as we celebrated our 50th anniversary. What better place to celebrate the love of 50 years but in Paris…We can’t wait to go again. Until that time Paris live in my photo’s and in my heart…au revoir pour l’instant mes amis.

All of the above photos were taken with the Fuji XT-2 and the Fuji 18-135 lens

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