Every trip starts with a plan. This one started with a flight to Newark, an unexpected trek along the Liberty Walk, a stranger in a Mercedes, a ferry ride across New York Harbor, a subway adventure through Manhattan and a triumphant arrival at JFK with time to spare for a beer.
As we rolled our suitcases along the waterfront, a jogger named Marian stopped and asked where we were headed. When she learned we were trying to reach the ferry, she generously offered us a ride. “Watch for my silver Mercedes,” she said as she dashed off to retrieve her car.
As luck would have it, Marian was a retired travel agent and photographer — the perfect impromptu tour guide. Before dropping us at the ferry, she treated us to an unexpected tour of Liberty State Park. We visited Empty Sky, New Jersey’s 9/11 Memorial, whose twin walls frame the place where the World Trade Center once stood across the Hudson River. She also took us to the historic Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, a grand station that served as a gateway for millions of immigrants arriving through Ellis Island. From there, passengers boarded trains bound for destinations across the country, embarking on new lives and new adventures.
Marian shared stories and local insights along the way. What could have been a simple transfer between airports turned into one of those unexpected travel moments that remind you how kind people can be. Then, with ferry tickets in hand and a great story already underway, we continued our journey.
Over the next two weeks, we’ll hop from the Channel Islands to medieval walled cities, sleep in the shadow of Mont-Saint-Michel, explore the D-Day beaches around Bayeux, and then continue on to Paris for the summer solstice celebration of the Fête de la Musique.
Our adventure will culminate in a choir concert featuring our own Minnetonka Chorale Society, participating in the European premiere of Elaine Hagenberg’s Aeterna Via. The performance will take place at Saint-Sulpice, one of Paris’s most magnificent and renowned churches.
Along the way there will be ferries, trains, abbeys, cathedrals, croissants, wrong turns, great conversations, and, undoubtedly, a few adventures that never made it onto the itinerary. After all, those are often the stories worth telling.
So come along as I trade Minnesota for France, follow the tides of Normandy and see where the detours lead. Joining me on this escapade are my long time friends Richard, Arne and Susan.
Jane in Spain 