I am not well traveled, but I have always liked leaving town for a few days in the mountains or, when the children were young, a trip to Disney or even camping (never my idea). But my youngest child, my son, must\u2019ve been born knowing the great big world was waiting. From the time he was in pre-school and kindergarten, he was fascinated by languages \u2013 especially French, taping note cards with the French names of items all over the house. Before the ink was dry on his BA in French, he had applied for jobs in Europe and was soon on a plane to work in France. From there, he went to Spain, where he now lives. Last year, after not seeing him for a year, I decided it was time for me to visit. I boarded a plane to Madrid alone and quite a bit nervous about my first trip to Europe. But, from the minute I landed, I loved it. After a few days in Madrid, touring the city and surrounding areas (in 100-plus degree heat) we headed to my son\u2019s favorite place in France, the small seaside town of Collioure. There were several stops and even a bout with heat exhaustion (mine) before we arrived. But, I\u2019ll never forget rounding a curve in the Pyrenees Mountains, and getting my first glimpse of this spectacular village set along a small cove on the Mediterranean Sea. White boats dotted the cerulean blue water and beautiful stucco buildings painted in pastel colors lined the hillsides. A stately 11th century castle sat high above the town and a smaller fortress was perfectly situated on the water. I was completely overcome by the beauty right in front of my eyes, and I felt I had landed in the most beautiful place on Earth \u2013 or one of them at least. I know I\u2019ll never be exactly the same person that I was before this experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enjoy this issue of Sasee \u2013 and while we\u2019re not traveling much now, it\u2019s the perfect time to dream and plan for the future. The great big world awaits us.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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