Blurry 15 year old Alisha on her first trip to France 17 years ago.
Even as a child who had never visited, I had a love for all things French and no earthly idea where that love bubbled up from. In high school I learned this love has a name, Francophile. My devotion has persisted despite the fact that I've never been able to learn the language. Maybe I was French in a past life? It's more than fresh bread, good coffee, beautiful architecture, cafe's where people actually stop sit and watch, scarfs on ladies, romance or the Mona Lisa. Did I mention good wine? Yes, it's more than that too. It's a place where even a cemetery is enchanting and beautiful, because the French make living an art.
It's been 15 years since I've visited the sweet romantic city of Paris. France shaped me. In fact a huge black and white poster of the city is framed and rests above my fire place in the living room. A cheap reminder of this love affair that started so long ago.
This trip I'll merge some of my loves Paris, writing, and yoga. It's a week long artist's date pour moi. A week of filling up my soul with the sights, sounds, and smells of a city that has captured my imagination for years. I'm nurturing a few big dreams in the incubation stage. I'm confident this will give me the space to create the plan to make them happen.
Au Revoir mes amis. Plus a venir.