Go Away, Meet Yourself. (France Vol.2)

There were things I expected to see when I went to France.

Par exemple, when I went to Paris, it felt like sort of a scavenger hunt of things that were in those cutesy Paris maps we used for French class:

1. two churches

Notre Dame! LIKE FIRE!!! HELLFIRE!!! THIS FIRE IN MY SKIN!!!! THIS BURNING!! DESIRE!! IS TURNING ME TO SIN!!! (Now don't be creeped out, it's an actual song from a Disney film. They're wholesome don't you know.)

Sacre Coeur! The sight to see really is the surrounding area. The church itself is cute, but the view is amazing from the front of it, looking out into Paris:

gave me tiny goosebumps to be very honest with you

There was an asian couple who brought photographers and took prenup pics (?I'm guessing)

2. the Da Vinci Code museum The Louvre

which was so big I had to take a nap in the middle of my visit, (and don't forget to take a picture of the pyramid because that's how they know you went)

Taking a pic from the middle part of the monster building that was the Louvre

3. the pointy thing The Eiffel Tower

It was pleasantly not very crowded and very sunny when we went :)

4. The Arch of Intense Faces  Arc de Triomphe

It's SO ELABORATE much more detailed than I imagined. What a sight.

PLEASE LOOK AT THE BABY AND THE DUDE HOLDING ON TO HIS FRIENDO'S LEGGO FOR DEAR LIFE

5. Shakespeare and Co.

Not in the maps, but IT'S WHERE JESSE AND CÉLINE MEET AGAIN AFTER 9 YEARS

and what, real life buskers?! What luck!

I also expected to be able to eat good food. I didn't expect that it would be because of the quality of the produce instead of mere cookery, but I digress.

This was the France I expected to see.

And then there's the small things I did not expect to see, and that I... low-key fell in love with man.

1.The painted windows in stone houses

I don't know why, seeing them everywhere just sort of filled me with something nice and weird. Can you relate?

2. The flowers (and trees and plants in general!!!)

florb salad

Tiny Beardarito

Bunnyfood <3

Tulip: "I'm almost purple black I'm so black purple!!!"

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THROUGH THE WALL SERIOUSLY

Fisherman flowers. Apparently they crush these after a day of fishin' to make their fingers more fresh

I just kinda stood under this tree and asked it, ".. Are you real?"

Had a couple laughs at all of the pine trees because I always think they look like they're giving me ALL OF THE FINGERS

Each petal is heart shaped.

This weirdly smelled like corn.

FLOWER BOY.. WHAT IS THE SECRET OF YOUR FLOWER (wat)

btw FRIGGIN' RAPESEED?? EVERYWHERE??! Why?

 Has it always been this way? It was everywhere in the highways.
Anyway speaking of the roads, what a joy to drive on ones where you don't have to stop every minute and basically fend for your life all the time. Rules are followed, everyone knows what they are, and you don't have to micromanage your whole trip. Here, we have to be on edge ALL THE TIME. We drove for miles and there were very few "interesting" incidents. So a lot of time to just stare at sheep, cows, sloping hills, farms, houses, windmills, and yeah, a crapload of rapeseed.

I obviously didn't get to take many pictures out the window, because speed and window filters make bad ones and I'm not the type to stop by the road to take better ones, so here is a picture of windmills.

3. city planning in general
It was so easy to get around, the signs told you everything you needed to know and were consistent, all towns had a tourism office with maps, there are parking lots every few minutes with huge recycling bins and electric car chargers, where you can leave your car so you can walk the rest of the way.. Because the streets are designed for pedestrians. Whaaat? Yes. That's how it should be everywhere, but it's not.

I was NEVER driven by Beardy before we went to France so I really enjoyed that part of it all

Hello it's us

And what really struck me as amazing, was that "everything you needed to know" included Where to Camp. There was a place to set up camp in every town we went to! Here's the one we stayed in near Amboise:

Our tent and the showers and some grass in between

Our breakfast view: Our car's butt.

4. The animals

Surprise kitty! This kitty suddenly rubbed up on me while we were walking somewhere in ...Quimper I'm guessing

:D Meeting this cow really made me happy because it was one of my goals during the trip and this cow was very friendly and sweet!

Fluffo the Donkeroo and Beardy's Maman

He waited so long to touch this pony and the pony took his sweet time walking up to us. Then paused JUST out of reach, before finally moving closer to Beardy. It was a hilarious moment for me.

These romantic duckos were walking down the stream as we were walking by it and it felt like we were mirroring each other awwww..

5. And me...

What?

Yes, I believe I met myself anew in this trip.
"I found myself"?! Really? You're ending this by revealing a cliché?

Now now, hold on a minute: you see, being so far detached from all I knew, I was left outside the shell of reality that I'd always been hidden in, without really knowing so.

In other words, by being away from all of the people, the circumstances, the danger, the inconveniences that I've been accustomed to, I was also away from most of the habits and rhythm of my typical life, and so it was like having to start fresh and picking up new tools, and therefore revealing a part of myself that isn't formed by these things.

It's not to say that it's necessarily a more accurate, nor a better-functioning version of me; in fact, I felt weak because it was cold, I often felt meeker than I want to feel compared to the very outspoken French people (who not to mention mostly spoke French, soooo.. ), I felt highly dependent of Beardy and his family too, so I wasn't necessarily freer, but:

I had really great conversations and what I felt was sincere connection to some people I've only met for the first time, I did things that would be considered strenuous for my family's habits when we go on trips, I interacted with strangers, which I typically avoid here at home... Basically, it's different... And it's not better because of the circumstances of things, as much as it is just better because it's a way to know myself more. In whatever manner it would entail.

Travel is typically thought of as a way to escape your problems, as if you weren't bringing yourself. But let's face it, you're where most of the baggage you're trying to get away from lives. Not so much in our surroundings.

When you go away, you are given a chance to reveal a different part of you to yourself. And so, the life-changing aspect of travel isn't finished the minute you fly back home - a fuller knowledge of yourself comes back with you, and hopefully guides you the rest of the way.

Going to France taught me the following about myself:

1. I actually really like warmth. I just thought of "warm" as "hot" by default because I'm from the tropics.
2. In a functioning society where mail and necessities can reach any corner of the country, I very much prefer provinces to big cities. But a nice compromise in between would be best.
3. During deep dinner conversations, I am actually able to participate well without wanting to escape and be somewhere else. I'm just a little uncomfortable with small talk, so I always thought I hated socializing, because small talk is more typical to my culture.
4. I get sick easily when it's cold! But I can wear makeup without feeling gross after a few hours!!! It's kind of a dilemma.
5. This one's hard to describe, but I realised that I have OK instincts. Probably because you have to fend for yourself in many things here, and so in a place designed to aide its citizens, it's difficult to feel too lost at any time. Even with the language barrier!

What about you? Have you ever learned anything about yourself while traveling? And it doesn't even have to be far away! Just anywhere new to you! What did you learn? I'd love to know your story!