Paris the 2nd Time Around

[tracy_n_mia]

This is my second time in Paris (Mia's 10th). Mia and I were here for 2 weeks in 2001. Sara was in the hospital then and people didn't let us know that she got really sick. Her graft vs. host disease really kicked in and we heard later that it was a real nightmare. But like she always did she pulled through, however a coming out a little worse than she was before. That's how her 2 years dealing with Leukemia was, a slow downward spiral.

The day we left for this trip was Sara's 6 year deathaversary. As everyone who has had someone close to them die knows Deathaversaries blow. Sara loved traveling. She had been to Europe, Latin America and India and all over the US.

Anyway there are some things that seem different this time around.

• People smoke less. They still smoke, but not indoors and it seems not as many people smoke.
  
• There's less dog poop on the sidewalk. The poop was seriously nasty the last time we were here. It looks like the poop is more in the street than on the sidewalk. You still have to keep your eyes to the ground to make sure you don't step in it.
  
• There seems to be more homeless people. I don't know if I'm just not remembering correctly, but it looks like there are more homeless people than before. There are tent cities under the Seine and people shacked up in cardboard boxes everywhere. It's reminding us of San Francisco.
  

Yesterday was a real treat because we spent much of it hanging out with Locals. We met up with one of our clients (who became our client after meeting her during our 2001 trip) Lynn. She is an ex-pat from PA who has owned a Parisian toy store for 19 years. We had lunch at her local cafe and had a great time.

Later we had drinks and dinner with Rachel's friend Laurent. He used to work with her husband James. He was very nice and his apartment had a great view.




Phine got to stay up very late having dinner with Laurent. She was such a good girl sitting through a very slow French dinner in a restaurant. We are always so impressed with what a good little traveler she is.

Today we had to say goodbye to Rachel, she had to head back to Spain. It was so great to see her. I'm sure Phine will ask where she is a million times over the next few days. Phine, Mia and I will miss her.