you wait twenty years, then two come along at once.  Kind of.

Bonjour Paris.

So having popped over the border to Paris in February, (for the first time since my marriage proposal in 1994), to visit Hot Frenchie, I find myself ‘popping over the border’ again to have some fun and catch up with my fabulous friends from a previous life.  Inspired by the visit of my musician friend in May, I figured, I needed more fun times with fun people and said a big, fat “YES!” to an invitation to see them play in Sunset-Sunside in Paris.  Twice.  (It might have a little something to do with my mega-crush too, but I couldn’t possibly confirm/deny that).

I was chatting to a friend at the weekend, about all us folk who arrived in Barcelona around the same time, almost a WHOLE three years ago.  It’s interesting to see us all now, comfortable and relaxed and settled enough to start branching out, taking up new hobbies, exploring.  I can of course, only speak for myself, but until now, I had a strange sensation of detachment, that I was no longer anchored anywhere, and for that reason, I felt, (until now) that if I went anywhere, Barcelona might somehow not be here when I got back.  That it might somehow have disappeared in a puff of smoke, and I would have to start, yet again, from scratch.

And, so focussed was I on simply getting by, securing work, paying the bills, (and scared by the limitations of my lack of Spanish and the possibility that the work would dry up in a matter of seconds), that I didn’t dare explore/do anything outside of my confort zone.  Fast forward to 2014, I feel sufficiently connected to know that letting go for a few days is not going to result in abject disaster.

So, excited to disconnect for a few days, enjoy some music and the company of my lovely friends (without checking out the PA and sightlines), I’m off to Paris on Tuesday.  I’m going to swish around, as if in a 60s French movie, eat good food, drink good wine, enjoy sterling company and R.E.L.A.X.

And honestly, I can’t wait.