The various events that I have attended over the past few months at the church have provided me with the opportunity to meet a number of fascinating people. It's always so much fun to get to know them and learn about what has brought them to Paris...whether they are students, short-term workers (like me!), living here full-time, or just passing through. One such couple was John and Sharon M. I discovered that they live on their sailboat and have spent the past 9 years traveling all over Europe, navigating both canals and open water as they moved from place to place to their hearts' content! I was incredibly intrigued by their lifestyle (I've never met anyone that lived on a sailboat before!), and when I discovered that they would soon be setting sail again (heading for Turkey at the beginning of April), I asked if I could come visit them one afternoon to see their boat before their departure. They were so gracious to say yes, and even extended an invitation to come visit and stay for dinner the very next week. I had never been to the Canal St. Martin before (marina/arsenal near the Bastille). As I walked along the elevated walkway (passerelle), I arrived to see their beautiful sailboat, "Seraphim," gently bobbing along on the surface of the water with John waving to me from the deck. We spent hours talking and enjoyed a delicious meal of salad, vegetable risotto, and almond cake for dessert (and some wine, too, bien sûr!) I heard about many of their adventures, both peaceful and harrowing, and about how much they enjoyed the Azores just off of Portugal (now I really want to go there!) and how they have seen about 40 different Greek isles - Wow! What a life!! I so enjoyed my time with them that evening, and only wish I had met them sooner in my visit. But I won't soon forget their generosity, that's for sure!
View of the marina...
Place de la Bastille in the distance...
John waving from the deck of "Seraphim," 3rd boat from the bottom...
"Happy 'Sails' to You," John and Sharon...
Until we meet again ♥
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