The Tuscan countryside is a blur from the window of the train. I try to focus on the rustic buildings in the distance, but am easily distracted by the large fields of girasoli (sunflowers). Its burst of yellow always puts a smile on my face. My beau and I planned on going to trip at the last minute and hopped on a train this morning. I can’t even remember the last time I went to visit Pisa, maybe about 8 years ago.
Me, My Heart, and I
Home sweet Florence
It’s been a month since I’ve last come home to Florence. I visited a couple of beautiful places, but nothing ever compares to my beloved city. When my plane touched down, I couldn’t wait until I could walk down the airplane steps to finally breathe in my beloved city’s air.
A weekend enjoying Paris
This weekend I wanted to take in more of Paris and was fortunate to be able to do so. With many of the Parisians away, the city is left open like a large museum for tourists to enjoy. On Saturday, we drove into Paris for dinner and then went to the théâtre (theatre) to see a comédie (comedy). We ate at a restaurant off of the rue Montorgueil. This street reminds me of Florence with food shops, cafés, and restaurants lined up on both sides. Besides the many people strolling down the street, the terraces are filled with people sipping drinks, smoking cigarettes (since no smoking is allowed inside) and nibbling on their food.
Growing roots in Florence
When I started my new blog a year ago, I pictured my new life a little differently. I thought that I would live in Paris and not in the banlieu (suburbs) and I thought that I’d spend two weeks in Florence and two weeks in Paris. Instead I only spend about one week in Florence per month and the rest of my time in a Parisian banlieu with my beau. It has taken me at least a year to adjust to the choices I’ve made. I am happy and grateful, but there are a few adjustments I’d still like to make.
Enjoying summer in Paris
Since the end of May, I’ve been traveling around quite a bit. I visited my family in the US, went on a cruise through the Greek islands, returned to Florence for a few days, went to Corsica for the weekend and then spent a few days on the coast in Brittany. Now, while many of my colleagues are off on vacation, I’m happy to be staying put for a while. To celebrate my time home, my beau and I spent some time in Paris so we could walk around and take in the city while it’s calm.
Buon San Giovanni
Dates are important to me. I remember the dates of everything that is significant to me: births, deaths, and my arrival in Florence (both times). Today is Florence’s saint’s day, San Giovanni Battista (John the Baptist). It’s the one day I am usually in Florence because I get to celebrate my beloved city.
Longing for summer in Florence
It’s the beginning of summer and I woke up to the sound of rain hitting the window and the thunder growling in the distant. I looked at my phone and saw that it will be rainy all day. In Florence, however, it is hot and sunny. This year, the weather has been odd. Maybe not just in Paris, but also in other parts of Europe When I was in Florence in May, it was a little cooler than it normally is in spring.
Dinner downtown
Instead of getting in the car after work and driving home, my beau and I walked a couple of blocks to the métro station and went into Paris. I don’t go to Paris as much as I’d like to even though it is not even that far away. My office where I work is in Clichy, just two stops outside of the city. When I was working in Paris initially, I rented apartments usually in the 7th arrondissement and commuted to work on the métro. Now that I live a little west of the city, I either take the train alone or the car with my beau.
Life without Paris and Florence?
I was supposed to fly back to Florence for a few days yesterday, but instead I decided to stay in Paris. After all the trips I’ve taken these last few months, I felt the need to just relax and enjoy where I am. Even though I love to travel, I do enjoy just staying put.