Tag Archives: travel

Blue sky on arrival to Paris. Nightfall in Glasgow Scotland. 16 May 2025

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!!

flight to Paris and Glasgow May 15-16 2025

Dear blog followers. 

Today is Thursday 15 May 2025.  I am on route to my next travel adventure.  It is a slightly grey overcast morning as I arrive at YYJ Victoria BC Canada airport departures section.  Two hours ahead of my first leg of Westjet flight to Calgary and connecting on to beautiful Paris, France.  

I prepared for security by being early for my flight, taking off some neck chains, my hair clip and took off jacket and shoes.  Funny they asked me to remove my silk scarf from Xamam purchase in Chania Greece.  I wanted to be easy to manoeuvre around today, travelling with only a backpack for carry on.  

I am flying alone this time from here, meeting up with a friend who lives in Paris.  She and I will travel on to Glasgow Scotland for 4 nights and then back to Paris. 

“I love Paris in the springtime …”. As the song says … Actually any time of year is good for Paris, the city of lights and bridges, gardens, museums, parks, wine, cheese, chocolate covered orange peels, olives.  Green boxes along the riverbank. The Eiffel Tower. The Louvre. Musee d’Orsay. Cruising down the Seine River. Montmartre.  Norte Dame Cathedral. Champs élysées.  Charming cobblestone streets.  Little window balconies and flower boxes. The Arc de Triomphe. Sacre-Coeur basilica.  Galleries Lafayette. Gluten-free celiac friendly patisseries. (Little Nonna for gf Italian pizza!) May also try Cococo for gf sushi and bento box. Manicaretti, la Sajerie, kapunka, cafe Mareva, Taska, su Misura, Grom gelato …. Chambelland and La Manufacture Sans Gluten, Copains, Noglu, Maisonneuve Plume.   

Gluten-free Glasgow???  Wild Flours Bakery. The Crumbleologist. Bread Meats Bread West End. Some to search and try!  

Dress Up for Life!

When I was little, I used to play dress up.  I would put on my mother’s high heels and would throw a scarf around my neck, select wild and crazy outfits and spend the whole day in dream land.

As I aged some, I let society message me about being more conservative, not talking out so much and to “take off that silly outfit”.  I was advised as to what successful people wear, and what to wear to fit in.

I am happy to say that my daughters have their own sense of style and have had from an early age.  They also played dress up, in the same stuff of my mother’s!!  They were supported by other girls their age, cousins who spent summer vacations and winter holidays together.  They encouraged freedom of expression and wild and crazy outfits.

So allowing myself to start to play in the artistic way, with my wardrobe, brings me back to a happier time.  A youthful freedom and fun place.  I throw on several necklaces, layered and unmatching … bling!

I have enough scarves to open a shop!  I have hats, shoes and colors galore.  I have themed clothes and color schemes.  I love to wear something new and different every day.

As I prepare for my trip to Europe with small luggage capacity, I am trying on outfits and mixing and matching accessories to accompany me on the journey.  I feel like that little girl again, smiling and laughing in the mirror at the combinations I am trying;  enjoying the idea of leaving my sweats and sneakers, my jeans and boots at home.  While I love the styles, I want to look a bit classier on this luxury vacation.

I don’t want to look like a typical North American tourist in shorts and sandals ….  Oooooops, better get those out of the bag!!  I don’t wear heels due to my height and of course, am always searching for comfort and practicality as well.  I do have some lace up, tie up and shiny choices.

I won’t wear a hat for the travel, but always enjoy visiting hat shops in foreign places.  I have several hat boxes full and many stacks of well behaved hats all over my house, in closets and on shelves.  I might stuff one fun hat in my bag, if there is room.  Just for dress up!!

A bathing suit needs a cover up, and shoulders need cover ups in many foreign places.  Scarves are such fun accessories to enjoy while traveling.  I can even wear the same formal evening outfit, with a different scarf and accessory!

OK – just thought I would share the journey with you today as I continue my travel blog.

What will you wear to town today?  What statement are you making about who you are and who you want to be?  Spruce it up a bit …  throw on a little something extra to make that artistic statement that identifies you as a person who cares about herself.  You might feel happier and you might inspire a revolution of grocery shoppers and gardeners to step it up a notch!

Happy Sunday…. With love