TREPIDATION: SADNESS IN A FRENCH PARADISE

A series of essays.....

THE HOTEL WEST END LOCATED ALONG
THE PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS, NICE, FRANCE 

.....as seen through my eyes!




By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


It is with some trepidation that I view the prospect of traveling to my beloved France this September. This is certainly a first for me and has caught me off guard. Allow me to explain. 

We plan our trips with adventure in mind, like many of us do. The basis for these experiences may be the discovery of a new international recipe to add to a growing culinary collection. Seeing new places and feasting on their history d'être has always worked well for Dan and me. Bringing home the joy of new friendships made along the way......is what I'd like to describe as 'simple perfection.'

The uncomplicated freshness felt by being in the south of France is predominant and, this visit will be no exception.

You see, there comes a time when nothing or no one can take the feeling of happiness away from you. When travel provides us with incalculable joy, the prospect of losing that feeling, that right, for any reason, is so beyond the thinkable that most of us deny the possibility with a French wave of the hand in front of our disdained-filled faces. Lately, I have used this unique French gesture often.

I've read stories of how rich Americans have decided not to travel in France this season for their holiday and have opted for various 'other' destinations. These Americans have sighted that terrorists tend to 'mark' the wealthy for attacks and they feel uncomfortable being their possible target.

For the record, they must have their own 'lofty' and disdainful form of trepidation.

I have never claimed that staying at the Ritz and being chauffeured from one exclusive shop to another while dining at yet another Michelin-starred restaurant each day as my idea of adventure! If seeking exclusive shopping time or eating rich food offers you an exciting, slightly dangerous good time.....C'est la vie!

And, herein lies the distinction.

Traveling for me is like moving from one enormous classroom to another. My teacher may be the antics of a small child, the perfect light of a hazy mountain morning, or the joy of sitting on an old log watching a handful of 'locals' intensely enjoying a game of pétanque (French outdoor bowling) in the afternoon heat. The language spoken might be 'Greek' to my ears, but I'm willing to learn a bit of it, employ elaborate hand gestures, and, at the very least, smile my way through any given situation. In the process of all this, if I can take away the knowledge of something new and put a smile on someone else's face at the same time, my education and spirit are greatly enhanced by the experience!

Traditionally, the last evening of our trip is set aside for winding-down, savoring a local meal, and eagerly weaving our way back through the intricacies of emotions and experiences our visit has provided us while viewing each one of them as a rich, artistic performance, full of nuance and equal importance. For us, this is a perfect segue back into reality. It bridges the gap between being in constant motion for ten days and the long flight scheduled the next morning out of Nice International Airport along the Côte d'Azur.

And then...... "On the evening of 14 July, 2016, 85 people were killed and 307 injured when a large cargo truck was deliberately driven into crowds celebrating Bastille Day on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France."  ---France 24, International News                                  

 

                                

As I sat watching the news channel late that afternoon, when the initial reports of this horrendous act unfolded, I began recognizing landmarks flashing within the strobe lights of emergency vehicles. Among them, the pristine silhouettes of the white pergolas lining the Promenade, the distinctive onion-dome roof line of the Hotel Negresco, and I realized that the Hotel West End, located at 31 Promenade des Anglais, was emblazoned with identical flashing lights.

Hotel West End....beautiful and pristine clad in white marble from its enormous front columns and massive staircase leading up to her ornate front entrance with multiple 'eyes' (windows) looking out across the Promenade towards the shimmering Mediterranean Sea.....our hotel for the final night in France.

I remember feeling the warmth of my tears sliding slowly down my cheeks as I sat there watching the screen.

At that moment, I had no idea of the grave extent of carnage that had just unfolded before the entire world. There was no worldly or profound explanation for why this was happening. Everything went against the grain of every fiber of my being and my mind was incapable of comprehending most of it. It was a 'James Bond' moment where reality is undermined by an elaborate Hollywood script with 'extras' cast as broken bodies on the street and others dressed in emergency uniforms of many varieties attempting to assist them.

Herein lies the basis for my trepidation, my anxiety regarding our visit to France next month.

We will walk the path of these innocent victims of our dangerous times and see the numerous memorials dedicated to them as we make our way down this beautiful Promenade. How could we not? The signs will be everywhere and the memories still so fresh.....somber. Our hearts will enfold the spirit of our lost friends who were innocently enjoying the celebration of life, the unity of their nation, and the beauty of their surroundings!

Our last evening in France this time will definitely take-on a brand new dimension.....not measured in length, width, height, or diameter. Rather, we will be analyzing the scope and aspect of this changing world we live in.

By choosing to continue with our plans in Provence, Languedoc, and, lastly, our night in Paradise (Nice), we have already made the clear distinction and choice between the celebration of the goodness life has to offer and the genuine fear it may contain. We will never be foolish enough to discount all of the irrational people who are hell-bent on destroying life as we know it, either. We will become watchful and alert along our daily travels, yet not allow this new attitude to distract from the pleasure of being where we want to be.

During our evening meal along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, under a canopy of twinkling September starlight, Dan and I will discuss the future, as well as our small role towards the alleviation of evil in this world. We will honor those who have fallen. And, we will hope and pray that our choices will aid in making a difference for every generation of travelers, students of life, and those who appreciate our amazing world for what it has to offer each one of us!







Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

LIVING VICARIOUSLY IN REAL TIME

A series of journeys.....

CORINNE AND MICHELLE AT THEIR AIRBNB FLAT IN AMSTERDAM

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes        

Occasionally, my thoughts are written down in longhand. I like to feel the slight heft of my pen and observe the swirls of black, gel ink as they are semi-absorbed into the fibers of the yellow pages of my legal pad and continue to accumulate until they exhaust the space of each blue-lined sheet. Writing in cursive script is a beautiful thing. How it lends itself to a creative and artistic inclination warms my heart and brings me pure joy! Why it is being forsaken within our school system infuriates me....but, another story for another time.

This 'old school' writing exercise began this past Friday when my youngest daughter and one of her best friends from college flew to Amsterdam to begin their sixteen-day, European adventure together. Seeing ink on paper, I believe, was my way of feeling a bit closer to them. With Amsterdam, Paris and London in sight, these two beautiful young ladies have so much to look forward to, experience and enjoy.

Oh, to be so young and carefree........but, wait a minute! Let's apply the breaks here and analyze this situation! Corinne is the Mother of three of our five grandchildren. This includes a seven-year-old and a three-year-old set of twins. Wife of Matt, our son-in-law whose love of hunting and fishing is much like an extended career, she is responsible, hard-working and a pillar of her small family nucleus. Corinne is certainly young, however, carefree may not be one of the adjectives most of us would apply to her everyday, hectic lifestyle. So, how is it that she is able to pull this one off?

KERRINGTON, LYDIA AND BRENDAN

So much thought went into their trip and, many obstacles had been thrown along the path leading to its fruition. I know it had been planned over three years ago with last summer being the original departure date. Michelle, friend and travel companion, unknowingly had other matters to contend with last year when she experienced kidney failure and spent a lengthy amount of time on a kidney donor list with surviving this ordeal as her only objective.

Corinne graciously volunteered her kidney but was denied after taking the appropriate tests to determine if she would be compatible. Would I have been so forthcoming given this situation? I wonder to this day.

Miraculously, a young gentleman, husband and father whose appropriate medical criteria matched Michelle's, heard of her 'fight for life' and came forward to volunteer his kidney. Not knowing Michelle or anyone in her family, he said it was something he felt he needed to do as long as he was healthy and capable of helping someone in dire need.


MICHELLE AND VAN GOGH

Michelle received her new kidney and it was accepted by her without major consequences and....today, she is roaming around the beautiful, canal-filled, capital city of the Netherlands, Amsterdam, with my daughter, Corinne. The attainment of something worked for, desired and planned for so strenuously, made real at last, is a major victory for them in my book. The result of which made so much sweeter by having overcome such adversity along the way.

International texting is magnificent! "Canal tour and Ann Frank House today! Freshening up for the evening. These made me think of you." Knowing my love for hydrangeas, Corinne sent a picture she'd taken of them growing within an Amsterdam cityscape. "It's true....Heineken really does taste better here in Amsterdam!" she wrote while dining on Herengracht Street. When I asked if the colorful French macaroons she sent a picture of were as delicious as they looked, she replied, "I took this picture from outside of the shop! I was afraid to go in."


MY HYDRANGEAS

I have always wanted to visit the Van Gogh Museum so, a few minutes ago, I wrote and asked if it was one of their destinations today and just received this response, "Yep, just got home from there....walked through Vondelpark back to our flat. Enjoyed it very much. Earlier we rode the tram to Central Station and walked to the Sex Museum, bought souvenirs (not from the SM), ate a nice breakfast, and walked the canals." No shocker there because the Sex Museum just happens to be on my list of places to see, too!



MACAROONS

Even though their final day in Amsterdam is coming to a close, if I know my child at all, this day will be chock-full of amazing sights, people and conversations that will highlight her memories of this beautiful city for years to come; generate stories to be passed down to her children and grandchildren. "I remember when Auntie Michelle and I rode our bikes down the cobbled streets of Amsterdam. We skirted around the canals and stopped for a breakfast of Pannenkoeken (Dutch pancakes) at a quaint little café overlooking the Amstel Canal." These memories, coupled with the many pictures she's taken and already placed on Facebook for all to enjoy, will keep this journey alive in her heart and soul forever.

Getting back to the question of how was she able to pull this thing off! One word: Determination! What is that old saying.....where there is a will, there is a way? I know it's quite a cliché, however, if you truly want to do something, you will find a way to do it, in spite of any obstacles. In Corinne's case, any obstacles would be the ones she chooses to create herself because Matt, her in-laws, Mary and David, and, of course, her father and I, were all for it! Leaving young children even for a few days can be challenging for a young mother. Leaving for sixteen days can test one's ability to cope. She knows how much knowledge and enthusiasm for travel she will be bringing back home to share with her children. This experience can't be taught in schools. Her adventurous soul will gently inject the love and respect she has for other people, places and cultures directly into the makeup of her own young children and last them a lifetime. I am proud of my daughter for making this happen!

PANNENKOEKEN

Tomorrow, fourteenth of July, is Bastille Day in France, the French national holiday which celebrates the beginning of the French Revolution. It is France's equivalent to our Fourth of July celebration. Bastille Day is a day of celebrations of French culture when many large-scale public events are held, including a military parade in Paris, as well as communal meals, dances, parties and fireworks.

COURTESY OF: My French Neighbor ~ BASTILLE DAY!

Tomorrow Corinne and Michelle arrive via train in Paris for the second chapter of their brilliant adventure. It will be as though the City of Lights will be welcoming them with open arms, and enough pomp and circumstance to rival the coronation of King Louis XVI with Marie Antoinette by his side. True.... This is probably not the best analogy for Bastille Day. But, you can be sure that cake will be eaten and that the booming, colorful fireworks display at the foot of the Eiffel Tower will draw typical huge crowds filling up the elongated and well manicured, green space of the Champ de Mars spreading out from her base to, eventually, tickle the entrance of the École Militaire (military training facility) located along its southeast side.

The ladies could not have chosen a better time to be in Paris. On this adventure I will be living vicariously through them in one of my most beloved cities in the world and, I can enjoy it in real time thanks to the convenience of international texting and social media. I am so excited about walking the boulevards of Paris tomorrow morning! Ding away little iPhone. I will be waiting for you.....!


Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved
Pictures from Amsterdam: Courtesy of Corinne Grimm