Adult-like Wonder

     I came across this quote last week:  "We talk about childlike wonder, but I think it's important to have adult-like wonder. . . . Let passion and curiosity lead your life."  So writes Leigh Ann Henion in her book,"Phenomenal: A Hesitant Adventurer's Search for Wonder in the Natural World."  I have not read her book.  This quote appeared in one of the publications that I get monthly and I realized this is exactly why I love to travel!

Me in the Dordogne region of France where I first fell in love with the idea of  living in France

      There are moments in my travels that I remember so clearly, as though they were just this morning.  Those moments are imprinted in my mind because they inspired that "adult-like wonder."  The first such memory is from 1973.  At the end of my 3 1/2 month stay with the Burchett family in northern France, my cousin, Cindy, and I had eurail passes and traveled all around Europe for 2 weeks (one of those "if it's Tuesday it must be Belgium" kind of tours!).

Carcassonne

     The moment came when we first saw the medieval city of Carcassonne in SW France.  I had never been to that part of France and had only read about it.  Cindy and I got off the train at the station in the modern city by the same name and asked how to find the ancient city.  We were told to follow the signs to "La Cité".  We walked about a mile and rounded a curve in the road, and there it was.  We were stunned into silence and awe.  We both remember just standing there with our mouths open and eyes wide taking it all in.  The oldest double-walled city in the world still standing in its entirety.
     There was very little on that trip that compared to Carcassonne.  It's still one of my most favorite places to visit. But certainly in all my years of travel, there have been other "wonder" moments.  The medieval fortified abbey island of Mont St Michel is another one.  I have been there twice and each time it was cloudy and rainy which gave an aura of mystery and magic to the sight.

Mont Saint Michel

     A few years ago, Andy and I spent a week in Nice on the Riviera.  Our favorite day was spent driving through the maritime Alps.  Only an hour north of the sea and we were in the mountains.  We got lost a number of times, but didn't really care!  And we both remember with great fondness the lunch we had in a little Alpine village at a cafe we found quite by accident.  We had no idea that this little restaurant, which catered to the local workers, had a Cordon-Bleu trained chef!  And for all of 10 euros each, including wine, we had a 3 star lunch!

Maritime Alps north of Nice

     I am always in awe of the art and artistry in the gothic cathedrals.  How did they build those 1000 years ago?  We have buildings in the US that don't make it 100 years!!  How many skilled workers and artists were involved in the building of these amazing structures?  I could spend hours (and have!) looking over every foot of stone and marble and marveling at the workmanship in the stained glass, the statues, the columns, the chapels, the wooden staircases, the golden altars.  They have left their mark on the world for all to see.

Saint Sulpice in Paris

     And, of course, there's nature!  Within the 600 sq miles (approximately) of the country of France you can experience just about every type of climate, flora, fauna, geographical feature, etc, that exists in the world.  Desert, mountain, sea, ocean, volcanic outcrops, caves, forests, beaches, meadows, farmland, and of course, vineyards.  The French have an expression for describing their wines:  "terroir".  Roughly translated it means the combination of all plant-life, rocks, minerals, dirt, and anything else that contributes to the taste of the grapes.  I think it applies to the people, too!  And I hope it will have its way with me.  But that's for another blog!

The Tour de France and a field of sunflowers

     In France, there are endless possibilities for wonder, passion and curiosity.  My wish for all of you is that you find and hold onto that "adult-like wonder" wherever you may be.   I do find wonder all around me here in Colorado.  But, as my favorite author, Francis Mayes, wrote: "I am always more susceptible to surprise."
 Thank you for joining me on my journey.  Merci!