Paris and Greece

Page one of book prepared by my husband for our trip

Just prior to leaving for New York JFK Airport, I was handed a binder prepared by my husband. This is when I learned our secret destinations were Athens, Greece; the Greek Islands of Hydra, Poros, and Aegina; and Paris, France. John had made sections for each destination,including photos of the hotels where we would be staying, and lists of things to do.

Since that moment, I have been in a whirlwind of meeting people from other countries, dancing with Greeks in a Greek Tavern, soaking in the exquisite colors of the islands, following cats and dogs in attempts to photograph them in their habitats, falling in love with the sculptures in the Louvre, weeping in the chapel at Notre Dame, attending the yearly book festival in Athens (only by chance) and the pistachio festival in Aegina (also by chance) and being rendered speechless in the tunnels of Paris’s Metro upon hearing violin music echo beneath the ground.

I had every intention of blogging. And writing. And editing one of my novels. And while I accomplished neither during our visit, I discovered photography. I learned the desire to write from deep within my heart found a different channel, so that I could preserve the moments through my eyes. Moments I am sure will find their way into my writing. Just as my characters nudge me to listen, I was compelled to express my creativity through the camera. And I took many photos–nearly one thousand. 

Now, as I begin to pour through these images, I understand why I had to follow a cat through a park in Greece. Why I could not leave the statues in the Gardens of Versailles (until my husband took my hand and  pulled me back to the metro.) Why the boy begging at the bottom of the steps leading to Sacre-Coeur spoke to me in ways I had not yet experienced, or even expected.