Now Friday 16th May and I am arriving in Paris France from the sky. Not a cloud or grey in sight. Walk walk through aeroport to find train station. I have no checked baggage to claim. Through long squiggly lines and through passport security. 

Finally familiarity as I Text to Rachel from Starbucks where I met her last year. 

Get Navigo train ticket it advertises – with 15 plus minute wait to use a dispenser machine.  Found shorter line with a person attendant. Asked her which train. She waves her hand in a dismissive sort of way. 11 or 12. There on the platform a train is waiting for me. Relax. Breathe. Follow along. Sun streaming in the train windows and a pleasant breeze in the open air where a window is letting in sounds of the city. 

Beautiful stops along the way.  Terra cotta roof tops. Greenery. 

People dressed in style. Some with heels. Some with scooters. Ohhhh I love Paris!  

Found Rachel – well she found me. I was circulating round and round in the train station. Gare du Nord. I found a Starbucks but alas, the wrong one. 

Then with backpack and purse we walked through streets of Paris.  Montmarte area.  Up up on cobblestone and crossing the corners, sometimes waiting for traffic and green walk lights, sometimes just crossing.  Beautiful window boxes and balconies. People on bikes and scooters. People sitting at the cafe. We purchased a frozen Schar pizza for me from a grocery knowing no cross contamination is possible. We came upon a tiny gluten free patisserie. 

She lives not far from Sacre-Coeur and Moulin Rouge.  Charming walk through cobblestone streets. I want to take pictures and am tired, dragging my backpack and exhausted body along the way. Past doorways with a single doorknob in centre of the door. Quaint. Many colourful doorways and metal knockers. 

We went to her little single apartment for Rachel to do some work. Charming little courtyard down below out her windows. Exhausted I fell asleep for a few hours. Did on line check in for tonight’s flight. Then we cooked the pizza and ate it and repacked for our flight to Scotland tonight. 

Off in search of SIM card for my phone but no luck on that one. We found a Five Guys who have gluten free fries :). We took metro to the train station heading back to Charles de Gaulle airport in preparation for EasyJet flight to Glasgow Scotland. 

Line ups through passport security we are routed through the family line. Many many dozens of families donning Mickey Mouse ears and carrying stuffed Disney critters. What a great idea!  Maybe next weekend we can put a EuroDisney stop on our agenda. Neither of us have been before. How fun to think of that!  

In this moment from plane window, seat 5F I watch the colourful sun set on the dark horizon. All the colours of this day shining a prism of bright purple red orange gold green blue … the thickest is orange strip along the sight line above some clouds that can be seen down below in the dark sky. Then the sky is clear again and I see city lights in clusters and shapes. The lines of roads. Sparkly colours of sky reflecting off waterways. 

Somewhere down below is the United Kingdom. For Canadians an evisa is now required and I have mine for this trip. My first night ever in Scotland tonight. Exciting. What will I see or do, how will I feel, what about the food? The swimming in the lochs? A rail trip or purchase something MacDonald. Writing, doodling, walking, … I wonder. 

First night in clean Sandyford Lodge. 21 Royal Crescent, Glasgow. Wifi hooked up. Ya!!