there were tears

there were blue skies when we laid eyes upon her. the forecast for our entire trip included showers, but the day we decided to visit le tour eiffel, the forces from above cleared our view. 

mama and i never really use a direct way to get to the tower; we prefer to follow its tip and embrace the surprise when she pops out through an alley. it never fails that we gasp at its full site. 

i don't know how she does it, but the eiffel tower seems to strip me of my emotional security blanket. she leaves my heart bare so it can feel whatever it's supposed to feel. when mama and i were sitting there, we had a moment. the two of us with the tower before us, not really knowing when we'd have this moment again - me in this stage of my life, mama in hers. all we knew, and really cared about, was that we were there at that time. the blue skies, the crisp breeze, and this uncontrollable, raw, and beautiful emotion that brought us to tears. 

and that's what the eiffel tower does to you. she meets you where you are and reminds you that that's exactly where you should be. she says: stay here and just look at me. feel me and just be. 

the reading room in shakespeare & co

where we went:

-peugeot showroom - near the arc de triomphe, this is where you can buy the famous, french-made pepper mills. top quality!

-eiffel tower - need i say more?

-les cocottes de christian constant - near the eiffel tower. serves rustic, seasonal dishes prepared in staub ceramic cookware. i had the pigeon and mama had pig's feet...perfection!

-place des vosges - beautiful, symmetric courtyard/park in the marais. always reminds me of my first trip to paris because rilee and i stayed with emma in an apartment in the place des vosges. heart flutter.

-shakespeare & company - once the meeting place for writers such as ernest hemingway, this quaint bookstore now serves as a bookstore and reading room for the public. if you buy a book, they will stamp it with their logo. so, so, so charming. 

-chez janou - french fare with an emphasis on provencal flavors. this little restaurant is off the beaten path in marais, perfect for an authentic meal. i had the tuna a la provencale and mama had the ratatouille.