This morning, I can’t help but be reflective as we speed towards the French Alps. How a simple hello three years ago has led to Paris and a high-speed train to the mountains. I’m watching the countryside zip by, and I think back on the train rides I had through the French countryside with my mom. I miss her more and more every day – I don’t think that feeling of loss will ever disappear, but it’s times like these that bring the memories to the forefront, and I can only smile at how lucky I was to experience adventures with Rosemarie.

It's today, though that new memories are being made. And it is an amazing thing when you are away from life – you forget what day it is along with all the issues you had with the world you left behind. Yesterday in Paris was a day of exploration of Montmartre. 

We got our Metro tickets online and then it was off for a day of walking around Montmartre with a stop at Sacre Coeur. Since we’ve both been inside the massive church and the line was snaking around the structure, we were happy to stroll around the surrounding neighborhood. This part of Paris is a bit disappointing as there are too many gypsies and scam artists surrounding the church. It felt so disrespectful in a way, and it can ruin your perception of Paris if this is someone’s first stop. The surrounding neighborhoods however were charming and the Davina statue, which I’m sure someone will take issue with in these times, was a highlight. I ignored any #MeToo voices in my head and both John and I did what every other tourist did - maybe we got a little bit of good luck from it.

After dealing with too many crowds in the shopping district, all we could think of was escaping the madness of the neighborhood. We hopped back on the Metro and decided to head towards the Rodin Museum – a place we’ve been and knew would be calmer. Unfortunately, we were too tired to go in, and all we wanted was an afternoon coffee, but it meant that we would miss our afternoon nap.

Overall, when the day was done, we accumulated over 21,000 steps. So, I think we earned our pizza, wine and cheese dinner and in addition our amazing dessert and wine (again!) at a charming little restaurant we found down the street from the Pantheon. The night ended with a walk back to our hotel and a chance to stand outside Notre Dame without any crowds and really look at the intricacies of the sculptures. While some are extremely disturbing, they are all beyond amazing. I don’t think I could ever find the words to do it justice.

This morning, we decided to walk to Gare de Lyon to catch our train to Annecy and I’m so glad we did. Paris on Sunday morning is peaceful and more charming than ever. The train station, like all railways I’ve been to in Europe was bustling but organized. A far cry from the madness of Penn Station when I would take the train from NYC to Boston. It was orderly, calm and efficient. 

I’ve had so many adventures, so many stories that could easily be mistaken for fiction. How lucky am I to be once again in Europe, watching the green hillsides of France from a window of a train, knowing the destination that awaits will be even more memorable than the one we’ve temporarily left behind. And to have a husband to do it with? It still makes me shake my head in amazement. When John got out of his uber that March Day, I didn’t really know what to expect, except maybe my usual meet them and leave them. There was always something that made me uncomfortable and for as long as I live (and I can only hope that will be a long time) I will never understand what changed that day. How a relationship happened, how a wedding occurred and how a new life started. The French Alps await. Whereas we are both reclaiming Paris from past visits, when we make our way around Annecy, we will have a destination that is all ours from the start.

I wish my mom were here for me to share these stories, yet deep down, I think I wouldn’t be able to have this new chapter if she were still with me. Her leaving allowed me to open and find John, but it still doesn’t make the loss of her any easier.  People have come and gone in my life, and although I still struggle to understand why, I’ve moved on without them. One thing I won’t ever have to understand, though, are my adventures and travels with Rosemarie. They stayed with her to the very end of her life. When she talked about them in her hospital room, I was overcome with emotions. I had given her a gift that she never forgot and that will always stay with me. And yes, John’s going to always stay with me, too. After all, we’re Limontella – and that’s a brand that’s worth a worldwide distribution.