Back To Aix-en-Provence

October 17, 2011: It was a chilly and quite foggy Monday morning in Paris when I woke up at Arno's apartment readying myself for the trip back to Aix-en-Provence. I missed this place a lot, the seat of my memories during my vacation last year missing the marketplace and the Centerville as well as the gorgeous people it has. Can't wait to see it again!

Arno drove us at the train station and helped us pushing with our luggages at the subway. He was very patient to help us with our luggages despite he had a meeting to attend that morning. I really admire his tenacity to join us at the last minute. He's a rare French person whom I know with a very kind heart, professional attitude and personality, quiet yet witty conversations, and has a lot of sense of humor which is the best I've seen so far with him. Surely, I will miss his camarederie and friendship.

We separated at the Gare Lyon Station subway and we bade our thank you's and good bye's with mixed emotions that we will be seeing each other again. Oh... I really hate saying good byes. We exchanges hugs and kisses then we disbanded because he has a meeting to catch which he was already late. We waved at each other for the last time. Doreen appears lonely when he left and I presume he is, too. They look cute with each other.

We then went up and came out at the street level locating the train station and the ticket booth to buy the ticket to Aix-en-Provence. Our companion at the elevator appears lost like us. Hahahaha. The emotional turmoil of missing and leaving Arno in Paris that time was been shaken by my excitement to go back to the southern part of France.

When we got the ticket we hurried to look for our train which was about to leave at that moment. We settled our luggages at the entrance then look for our assigned seats. We have a somewhat forty-ish looking neighbor at the booth and across were a young couple with their todller daughter. They were not smiling at us. It seems that they are not very friendly at all. Well, at least we tried to be very friendly with them by smiling but we got an unfriendly gesture. We just slept off our fatigue and woke up hungry.

We went up to the second level and looked for the cafeteria and grabbed something to gooble at. When we were back to our seats the old guy were laying house plans and notes about architecture on the table. I presumed he is an architect judging with what he is busy doing right now. On the other side the baby was been settled with her bottle and both parents were doodling on their respective phones.

Three hours after, the train stopped at Avignon and some people alighted and eagerly met their families at the platform. The family and the architect on our booth also went down at Avignon Station leaving me and Doreen all alone on our own, free to do and talk stuff that we could understand as well as view the beautiful French countryside.

After less than an hour we also alighted at Aix-en-Provence. I was so giddy to go home and met Shelley. We then waited for the bus to come and settled our luggages and head to the center of Aix. We went down at the Centerville and took the taxi going to Shelley's mansion. At last we came back home safe and sound in AIx-en-Provence.

When we arrived Shelley welcomed us with big hugs and kisses as well as prepared some coffee and we then sipped some at the garden and talked about our happenings in Paris and Barcelona. Doreen did the talking because I felt so shy to open up about everything but eventually I started talking and contributing to the conversation.

After the coffee break we then helped Michael took off the Venetian black crystal chandelier at the dining room in preparation for the kitchen renovations and constructions which will start the next day. We took careful planning to remove the expensive Venetian glass chandelier but when we're about to lay it down on the floor I felt something popped on my right palm where I was holding and cupping the big black bowl. Because of the weight of the whole thing the bowl gave way and shattered on my palms to bits at the base.

Michael was a bit frustrated about it but Shelley cooled him down and assured him that it's only a damn expensive glass but replaceable. I felt bad about it, too, but it was an accident. I can't blame Michael to be upset because it was really a very expensive chandelier. He said he should have planned it well before transferring the thing or at least dismantled everything before taking it off from the ceiling. But it was too late already and the damage was already done.

Oh well, so much of the bad stuff. Life is always like that. Bad stuff and good stuff intermingle to make it a lot meaningful. It would be boring if it's always good stuff or just bad stuff. Life must be weighed in all the time.

At least we're here in Aix-en-Provence in good hands and spirits. More adventure awaiting for us. At least we get to prepare ourselves for what's in store. I'm still excited to be here and enjoying as well as expecting that my vacation will be adventure-filled and fun!