Paris, an interesting yet complex city. There are parks, buildings, museums and monuments of incredible beauty juxtaposed beside garbage strewn streets, in your face poverty, and caterwauling souvenir hawkers ablaze in front of sacred monuments. I can focus solely on the crime ridden, disgusting and disappointing side of Paris or I can let the city of love capture my heart. I have to remind myself to not be so harsh and to take a step back and breathe because in reality this is no different than any large city where one would experience the same diversity of life.

Our first afternoon found us heading to a sacred monastery, the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. Streets were a mass of people, the area not the best part of the city, and hubby encounters a pickpocket. Little did I know this guy had been following us and had attempted three times to get into Rick’s backpack. The third attempt was when the fight broke out. A few minutes later it is my husband who has a bloody face which won’t stop. Yet thank heavens for good people willing to help in time of need. Did the thief get anything? No! Did we bandage Rick up? Yes!

So lets start our last few days in Paris over and see it from a different perspective. One of reality…the REAL Paris, people and all.