Before, the bustling metropolitan of Paris was at the forefront of my imaginings of France: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre. Now, the expanse of green fields that color the world as you race along on a train, the kindness and compassion of strangers that in no way correlates with the French stereotype, and centuries worth of history are snatches of my adventure that make-up my thoughts of France.
Landing at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, France, the flight soared above field after field of grain, grass, and who knows what else. Recently, I have realized that, wherever you go, there will be a remnant of your home. It can be a comparison as simple as becoming lost in the sight of the towering trees as they cocoon the road you are winding down with the wilds of your home town.
In all honesty, I was ashamedly a bit concerned about the possibility of my southern personality and that of the locals I met mixing about as well as water and oil. Luckily, I could not have been more wrong; I was welcomed with amused answers to my naïve misunderstandings and confusion, and helped with patient and clear directions and clarification. Le Mans, the home of my main French excursion, is a hidden treasure that doesn’t seem to be found by many tourists, so the tiny American whose first and only language is English was a bit of a surprise. The rapidly moving travelers and enduring employees that made-up the airport were a welcome respite from travel as I camped for the first time in an airport overnight.
Although my favorite part of the trip was the testament to the strength of invention, and the reverence of times past. I floated through the hallowed halls of three castles, one Abbey, and a Cathedral. One castle was from the 14th century; whereas, another was a creation of what I always imagined a fairytale princess would live in. There were moats, gardens, and preserved architecture (oh, my!). The rediscovered ruins of an ancient Roman theatre and market place reignited an old spark of archeological desire. In contrast, the complex combination of architecture through the ages in Le Mans: Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, and Gothic, fueled an awe of the strength of humanity that its creation has stood the test of time.
All in all, in a few short days I was introduced to a side of France beyond that of the tourist attractions. I experienced a land of physical unexpectedness, warm welcomes, and inspiring testaments to the past.
