,
No matter how many times my pink sneaker clad feet scamper
about the rues and avenues of my beloved City of Lights, it never fails to
amaze me that there is yet another discovery to be made and new perspectives to
be gleaned, as if appreciating the Parisian landscape for the very first
time. I’m often asked as to why I jet
away to Paris so often, as surely there are other equally as fascinating and
appealing foreign lands to traipse about, and don’t I get bored travelling year
after year to the same mundane location?
You’re kidding, right? And so
I’ve compiled my top 10 reasons as to why this French gem has been and
continues to be a magnet for artists, writers, dreamers, lovers and just
regular folk, all of whom harbour their very own reasons for stepping foot on
this seductively mesmerizing parcel of land.
Reason #01 – Who
hasn’t envisioned languishing the days away sequestered in a quaint nook of a
café, sipping vino whilst penning that next great “yet to be discovered” novel,
immersed in the inspiration of long-gone masters of the written word. My imagination runneth over as I fantasize
about randomly bumping into the ghosts of Fitzgerald, Hemingway and Callaghan
as we linger over a pint or two and enthusiastically debate about plot
structure and character idiosyncrasies. Who
wouldn’t jump at the opportunity of being mentored by any one of the literary geniuses
of the 1920’s “lost generation”, but
alas, that is clearly not meant to be, so I’ll reluctantly have to contend with
absorbing all of their creative wisdom through the power of osmosis and hope
that some of it filters through my pink-sneaker noggin.
Reason #02 – There
is nothing more magical than meandering along the banks of the Seine on a late
summer’s eve, watching the blushing heavens transform from a glowing salmon hue into an effervescent rainbow of twinkling lights and shadows. A mesmerizing mélange of dusty pinks and vibrant acquamarine colours playfully shimmer from above, as if elevating the
intricately carved arches of the ancient bridges below to a heightened level of
perfection. Add an element of mysticism
and romance and you’ve got a picture perfect postcard of a hauntingly
spellbinding moment in time forever imprinted upon your soul.
Reason #03 –
Waking with the roosters and queuing in a snaking line-up at the boulangerie at the onset of dawn,
jostling with the locals for that melt in
your mouth deliciousness of a fresh out
of the oven golden croissant. Scrumptious. I don’t even feel guilty ordering a dozen of
the butter infused delicacies, savouring each and every last crumb, all the
while rationalizing that since I’m in Paris, it is my duty to consume as many
heavenly baked goods as possible, as, after all, I’m in the land of gastronomic
delight. Hence, this is why I walk and trudge and schlep luggage for hours and
hours and hours on end. If you’ve read
my previous posts, then you know what I’m talking about.
Reason #04 – the
Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sacre-Coeur and so much more...
Reason #05 – Le
vin rouge, le vin rouge, le vin rouge – need I say more? On that note, time for another libation of
the bubble bath for the mind kind...
Reason #06 –
Cutting edge fashion, where 12 year olds and babes in arms are attired in cooler than cool ensembles, setting the
bar for that unattainable “je ne sais
quoi” in attitude and “to die for
outfits”.
Reason #07 – Les
moules et frites.
Reason #08 – Stumbling
across a quaint nook of a café or bistro that becomes your home away from home
whilst traipsing about the City of Lights.
Reason #09 – Le joie de vivre pretty much says it
all.
Reason #10 –
After all, it’s Paris and in Paris anything is possible. You just have to dream and believe.
Come believe in the dream of Paris and all
things French….
Next week – where else in Paris do my
pink-sneaker clad feet take me? Stay
tuned!!
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