Author: thestampsinmypassport

A professional serving the travel industry for 25 years. Expertise and knowledge in sales, customer care and knowledge of the world. Sharing my knowledge, travel stories and tales from around the world in an engaging way.

Pere Lachaise

On By thestampsinmypassportIn Uncategorized2 Comments

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I had this post in my drafts folder for a while. It was empty. I was going to write about Pere Lachaise in one of my travel posts, but I think I will use it for a different purpose.
Pere Lachaise is self-described as the world’s most-visited cemetery attracts more than 1.5 annual visitors. Many are here to pay their respects to celebrities as varied as writers Oscar Wilde and Marcel Proust, musician Jim Morrison of The Doors, composer Chopin, actor Sarah Bernhardt, and singer Edith Piaf. (Pick up a cemetery map at the conservation office.) If you’re not the starstruck type, you can still appreciate the views of Paris, the Haussmannian chambers, and haunting statues and mausoleums.

I had the chance to visit Pere Lachaise when I went to Paris in 2006. Clients always had a puzzled look on their faces when we would discuss what to see and do while in Paris and I always recommended going to this cemetery. We don’t have anything like it in Canada. There are tombs and family plots that date back to the 1400’s. It is a very large place and easy to get lost for hours walking around (which we did).

While looking at the map and walking around I noticed that there was a Holocaust Memorial section of the cemetery. When I walked over to that section, I was quite surprised by it. The monuments and words of course were in French, which you could translate loosely, but the sculptures left a long lasting affect on me, and not in a good way. I didn’t take a photo because it was disturbing – it was a memorial for Auschwitz and it was a skeleton pushing a wheelbarrow with a skeleton in it.

My first thought was why? I really didn’t know that much about the France and the treatment of the Jews until a couple of years later. What I have learned since has been eye opening. In light of the recent events, even more so.

I began to read the book Sarah’s Key. It is a novel, but it is based on true event that happened in Paris in 1942. It was called the Vel D’hiv Round Up. Over the course of a week over 13,000 Jews (about 4000 children) were round up and put in the Veledrome D’Hiver. The atrocities that happened there, I don’t need to discuss, for obvious reasons. By the end of September 1942 almost 38,000 Jews had been deported to Auschwitz from France. In 1945 only some 780 of them remained alive.

I could not put the book down. I started it on a Wednesday night, and started again on Thursday after work. Finished reading it about 1am and went to bed. Woke up at 7am and started to read on line about the Vel D’hiv and the horrible treatment of Jews in France during the second world war.

And over the past few years (and weeks) the treatment of Jews is France is frightening and alarming. Where are we? Are we back in 1942 or are we over 70 years past that time? Lines are blurred and getting crossed every day.

Which leads me to the conversation I had with my mother last Friday night dinner. I know a lot of people that have parents or grandparents or other family members that are survivors of the Holocaust. Thankfully our family (both my mom and my dad’s) were here in Canada and didn’t really have the memories (or tragedies) in their life. Both of them are baby boomers (born in 1945) so they were young after the war and these were things that weren’t taught in school at that time.

My friend Adrienne and her mother are embarking on a journey this weekend. Her mother, Miriam Ziegler is a survivor of Auschwitz. She is going back for the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the camp. Can you believe that it is 70 years since it was all over in Auschwitz, yet, if you look at what is happening in France and other parts of Europe, you would think we were back there again. Being round up, and killed.

Yet, Miriam is alive. She went on to have children and grandchildren. She is the legacy of our people. Really, for everyone of the six million Jews that died in the Holocaust, there are generations that died along with them.

It is Shabbat. So hopefully as you sit down with your family tonight, you will light your candles, and pray not just for your family, but for all Jewish people, who are here with us or here in spirit.

Shabbat Shalom. Amen.

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Life’s Whispers

On By thestampsinmypassportIn Uncategorized1 Comment

So here we are, the last day of 2014. I have to admit, I had planned to write more in December and wrap up the year, but my computer died mid month and that set me back a couple of weeks. I really do need a laptop and perhaps that is one of the goals I will set for myself in 2015. A laptop = freedom. No longer chained to a desk.

And so now we are here. It has been an interesting year, not like that is something new and I discovered the answer to life, but every year is different. I was talking to a friend a couple of years ago, and I was bitching (around the end of that year) about how this happened, and how that was bad, blah blah blah. The reply I got was, well, what about that trip you took, or play you saw, or that concert you went to? Yes, the glass is half full. I get it.

But it isn’t always half full. There are times, when we (I, me, you) can feel like the glass is half empty. Life doesn’t always happen the way you would like it to.

Oprah speaks openly about listening to your life’s whispers. If you don’t listen to the whispers, they get louder, and louder until they hit you in the head. I also learned that in my personal growth class earlier this year. And then I lived it. If you have had one of these experiences, you know that getting hit with the lesson – HURTS!

It is a huge lesson to learn. I think that the interesting thing that I have come to learn from it is that once you are far enough away from it, you can see it with more clarity. It is almost “too little too late” but when people tell you that you will be better for it in the end, it is true. You can’t possibly see that while you are in it, but it does happen.

And then you start to look forward. Forward is the way we should all be moving in life. It is good to look back and reflect, but living in the reflection isn’t good. It is painful, and for some reason, people (again I, me, you) cause ourselves pain. Self inflicted, why do we do that?

There are more things I want to say, but I think I will leave it here for now. Wishing all of you a happy new year.

Thank you for reading my blog and being a part of my life. In 2015 I hope to continue to write on a more regular basis. I hope that you will continue to read, and hopefully share my stories with your friends and the people in your life. We are living in a “sharing” society these days, so please feel free.

Live well. Laugh often. Love much. Leave memories.

 

January TV viewing….

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It is almost that time…no….not New Years Eve. It is almost time when the main stream shows return from their “winter break”. In November, they used to call it “sweeps”…now all the shows had a fall finale and took a break into the new year.

I will tell you that I don’t have netflicks. I have not watched – wait for it – Breaking Bad, Orange is the new Black, House of cards, and sadly, The Newsroom. I know, I know, I should give in and pay the $8 bucks a month and start to binge watch over these cold winter nights we have coming up. Maybe I will. Jury is still out on that.

I also do NOT, will NOT, refuse to watch the batchelor/ette shows. I won’t judge you if you do, because I have been known to watch a few train wrecks from time to time (cough, cough Kardashians, Real Housewives).

I will be watching the following shows:

Parenthood – starts it final four episodes on January 8th. I will be sad. It was a good show. The Braverman’s are a tv family, but they could be any family.

The Good Wife – starts up again on January 4th. It has been a strange year and does Cary go to jail, or sign the deal with the drug lord, double dealing Lamond Bishop. I guess tune in and see.

Grey’s Anatomy – January 29th – later than others, because this show has jumped the shark, but I will watch until the end I suppose. I have given it 11 years….McDreamy’s contract is up at the end of the year, so maybe he really does leave this time…or not…..

Saving Hope – January 7th – because I have my US Med drama with Grey’s so this is my Canadian content fix. The cast is good. I like the concept, and would like to see what happens to Charlie and Alex.

Glee – again…another show that is past its time, and they know it, so they are coming back to finish it up – starting January 9th.

American Idol – not because I like the show, but because I like the judges. I may only last through the auditions and the Hollywood round. Time will tell. That starts Jan 7th. I really only watched one full season – the year that Phillip Phillips won.

Celebrity Apprentice – not because I like Donald Trump – I used to, but he annoys me. I think the cast looks good. You’ve got reality tv whores Kate Gosselin up against Brandi Glanville, Geraldo Riviera, Vivica A Fox, and Ian Zeiring (Steve Sanders)….I will check this one out – starting January 4th.

If you ever caught an episode of Who do you think you are, it is coming back on TLC in February and I love it.

And I do love my Wahlburger boys – season 3 starts January 7th. Not really into the Jenny and Donny show, but the original, yes.

And I love Bill and Giulana Rancic, I wish I knew where their show was coming back.

Whatever you watch, I hope you enjoy it.

Lisa