A Magical Weekend in Ile de France

By Cass

It was another long weekend here in Ile de France, the French reference for that island of civilized splendor known as Paris. 

I returned home late Friday night from Finland, where AREVA is building the first in a fleet of new-generation nuclear power plants. It was the first time I've been there since August 2006 and the progress was incredible. We stopped in Helsinki for dinner, a beautiful city.  Wooden sailing ships in the harbor, dinner in the shadow of an ancient church with golden domes, and hordes of young people basking on the lawn under a sun that almost never sets.

Saturday morning Sid and I did some shopping.  Afterward, we all took a train line we've never taken before (SNCF Transilien) out to the western suburbs to meet some new friends, Cindy and her 18-year-old son Erik.  We met through a support organization for parents with special needs in Paris. Erik also has high-functioning Asperger's just like the guys, but is a more independent, worldly young man.  We all hit it off like gangbusters, or as Niall put it, it was "a hoot and a half!"  I look forward to watching the guys' friendship grow, as well as ours with Cindy.  We plan to go see "Robin des Bois" next weekend with them.

Saturday night Sid and I met one of my colleague friends from the U.S. and her friend at hour home for aperitifs, then enjoyed a lovely dinner on the terrace at our favorite local brasserie.  Spring seems to have finally arrived here and it was a beautiful night to dine alfresco with friends at our Parisian "Cheers."

Sunday was another splendid spring day, and our friends Frederic & Claudia and their son David invited us to enjoy a picnic with them on the banks of the Seine. So there we all were in a beautiful park, also in the western suburbs, on the Ile des Impressionnistes, an island that inspired the original Impressionist artists.  The sharply blue, clear sky was a stunning backdrop to the blizzard of fluffy cottonwood seeds that blew all afternoon. Claudia and Frederic laid out an amazing feast of fois gras, rillette de canard (a kind of Underwood Deviled Duck), salad, baguettes, cheese, chips, wine and beer.  Incredible!  And we spent a couple of hours playing music together.  But perhaps even more memorable, was watching Kian & Niall toss a rugby ball with David, and play petanque, a French version of Bocci ball with the adults.  Our sons have never been interested in sports, so it was wonderful to see them enjoying some physical activity.  David is an amazing young man who is so good with our guys.

Today is another French holiday, so after a busy social weekend, we've just relaxed here at home.  I've checked in on some email, but also spent a couple of hours at a nearby park lying in the sun and reading. It was idyllic, until a parade of THOUSANDS walked by with banners, signs and loudspeakers walked down the street singing Catholic songs. They celebrated their way, and I celebrated mine.  Life is good.