Dublin, London, Paris

My conference in Dublin followed by vacation time in London and Paris could not have been better. The conference and spending time with my fellow directors generated new ideas. 

Dorothy and I rendezvoused in London where we went to four theatre presentations in different venues.  We also went to several museums and a wonderful Advent service at St. Martin in the Fields.  We ate a cool museum cafes several times and loved the central location of our modest bed & breakfast.  

When in Paris, we went to a concert of Gregorian chants at Notre Dame one evening, and to a special Impressionist exhibit at the Museo Orsay another evening.  We witnessed a march of an estimated 100,000 Parisians in favor of gay marriage and adoption.   We learned how much we prefer small museums such as the Museum of Jewish History with its special exhibit on the Jews of Algeria.  We patronized chocolate shops, little tucked away bread shops, Christmas markets featuring roasted chestnuts and beribboned lavender sachets.  We were thrilled with our apartment in Paris; it was a joy to come home to at the end of the day.  My clothes were perfect for the weather and for our activities.  I never, ever found myself wishing I brought this instead of that or that I had packed too much or too little.

We walked and walked and walked.  We watched people.  We relaxed.  We soaked in as much culture as these great cities had to offer in the short time we were there.

Dorothy, who reads absolutely everything, was a stimulating travel partner.  I came home with a long list of names, events and places that I needed to google to fill in the many gaps in my education.  Our interests and energy levels matched which made decision-making so much easier.  I am ready to go again...any time, any where.