Photography

Twenty-nine one day, thirty the next.  Just numbers, they don't mean anything.  I now believe becoming a year older only matters if you also feel a year older, and that my friends can be avoided by doing what we love every day.  Travel, friends, family, wine and good food; if everyone filled their days and lives with more of these, the world would be a happier place. 

As a Canadian, I constantly compare our North American way of life with that of the European's; and with most of the outside world really.  Why do we measure our success by how much money we make, by our job titles or by the size of our house? Why are we expected to willingly sacrifice our time with friends and family for our careers? Why must the career define who we are?  Why do we settle for two or three weeks vacation a year? Why oh why do we take life so seriously?  I know I am generalizing, but it seems to me that other cultures break up the work day with a walk to the local cafe to meet friends for a glass of wine, complimented by a bowl of fresh olives, good bread or a plate of fine cheese, then it's siesta time and back for just a little more work before nightfall.  At the end of the day they head home for a delicious feast around the table (remember those? dinner tables? what a brilliant idea to eat at a table instead of on the couch in front of the TV, it does wonders for your posture).  

I know the "grass is always greener on the other side" but perhaps in this case it actually is.  Those Europeans seem to know how to live correctly.  I did a lot of reflecting in Paris, as I often do when traveling.  It's what I love about traveling; having all the time in the world to just observe life.  At home, life is too fast and the days become weeks and months and then years, it all becomes a blur.  I don't want my life to be a blur so I'm going to continue to live doing what I want, when I want, fill it with friends, family, delicious food, and perhaps, some time soon, a dinner table.

(Click HERE to see the blog entry of my first day in Paris)

It's an amazing thing when you can hang out in a place like this in between shifts at work.  Moraine Lake made the old $20 bill famous... or wait, did the $20 bill make Moraine Lake famous?... either way, it's spectacular and I'm freakin' lucky to be able to see this everyday.