What's Your Favorite...

The challenge for WhatIsYourFaveThing blog... this week is 'What's your favorite vacation?"... Here's mine... Paris...

When I was 18, my dad finagled me into being a driver for a convention he was in charge of... and the people I had the privilege of taking around were from France. You know how it is when you're 18 you don't want to do something and it ends up being one of those experiences that turns into being one you'll never forget... and brings other opportunities... That was me. Once the convention was over and my touring duties... the friends I'd made were staying in the U.S. for a few months... and I was able to go site seeing with them... we went to Northern California, Tijuana, & Colorado... it was the summer after graduation ... and it ended up being a summer to remember.

Which brings me to Paris... one of the girls I made friends with was getting married... she sent me an invitation... I was thrilled, but there was no way I could afford to go... I was in college and working part time... there was just no way. Then about a month before Chantal's wedding, my dear dear dear dad surprised me with a ticket to go to France for the wedding... all I needed to come up with spending money. So I took on extra baby-sitting jobs... for the next 4 weeks I worked hard to make some extra money...

So, in the spring I went to France. I went to the wedding, which was beautiful... then while Chantal & John were on the honeymoon in Peru, I was able to tour the country and visit all the friends I'd made the summer before. I even postponed coming home for 3 1/2 months... so it truly was a trip of a life time.

I went to all over France... everywhere I went I stayed with friends from the convention... Paris, Versailles, Mount St. Michel, Marseilles, Cannes, Nice, St. Étienne, Rouen, Lyon... that's just the small list of the places I visited... I loved the beautiful country sides... the blue blue Mediterranean Sea shores... the beautiful castles, and hearing their history... tasting all the different cheeses and wines.But I would have to say, my first memory of this trip to France was seeing Paris at night and all the beautiful the city lights... the Eiffel Tower... Champs Elysees... Arc de Triomphe... Montmarte... the Louvre... Notre Dame... Opera Garnier... the Siene River... the cafes... I could go on and on and on... even now if I close my eyes I can see it. All together, France was my favorite vacation ever... but my favorite memory of the trip, would have to be Paris at night... it truly is beautiful. I hope someday to go back with Steve and Rainee... I would love to share this with them....

So, what's been your favorite vacation?? The challenge ends today... go check it out!!!

(Materials: Paper: Me&My Big Idea, Core'dinations, DCWV, Tags: Creative Imaginations, Flowers: Prima, Ribbon: Making Memories, Letter Stickers: Memory Makers, Button: Vintage)