I have seen Paris in pictures, in story books and through different people's eyes... And thus you create a picture in your mind.
I also had one and to tell you the truth today I have a picture of my own about Paris.
When we landed in Paris, first nothing is that makes you feel that you're in a foreign land believe me!
Except the french language, it reminds you of home. For me it was the Pune that I grew up as a kid holding my Dad's hand and walking around those streets which were familiar to my Dad but new to me.
Every corner, every smell of the street reminded of a place that I have known closely or lived in one.
When we came to our hotel room, it was a surprise because of its size and how a small is being utilized to it's fullest. This reminds you of Bombay city... Where rich or poor, everyone lives in a small place, apartment except what's in the place may differ... And here I am not talking about any millionaires like Ambanis or Bollywood stars... I am talking about common people who live everyday, every air and every minute of their life is an achievement.
Quickly, we adjusted to the space as it was small and sweet with colorful curtains and wallpapers... Yet with an old style cooler to keep us all cool in this hot weather of Paris.
Enough room for everything and nothing extravagant. Isn't that we all need? Actually that's all one need to survive, place to stay safe, food to eat and clothes to wear so we can be warm when we need to and be cool when it's too hot!
When we talk about Paris, Eiffel tower and the monuments that comes to mind because that's what I have seen so far but there's more than that, it's the people that make this place beautiful, lovable and livable.
The bolt drivers, the hotel receptionist, the restaurant folks and the people that you find on the road while walking around... I was able to see people, the humans and artists because that's what this city showed me and that's what I could see.
This was not the case when I was taking the flight to Paris, as mostly I heard about is that, be careful, there are thief's, pick pocketers and what not and all this made me cautious, be reserved and always look people with suspicion... I think after my first day in Paris all that got washed away with the rain.
You go anywhere in the world there are survivors all around and there's nothing different here in Paris.
My request to people who visit Paris is that please don't spoil the name of this beautiful city with your bad decisions, bad judgements and experiences because with that no matter which part of the world you visit it will be the same for you.
Some of the school memories also made this city close to my heart as I got to revisit on French revolution from my history class and the visits to the Palace of Versailles, the paintings and the story that it tells was a revision. Along with that the visit to Montparnasse cemetery to see Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir... Great humanist and feminist but what else I saw there was people buried there after they have left this mean world they are stored here in these places and there are people who are alive yet may be some still with no place to live? Why do we need these cemetery? To remember such great people can be through many different ways, plant a tree in their name so people know and remember and visit them... Some were like a store room space and it really made me think about it for the ones who are still alive on this Earth.
Same with Voltaire and Marie Curie and other French dignitaries...! We care for the gones and not for the ones who needs to be cared!
Life always comes with a perspective.
I have a sweet tooth and I loved my cafe visits in Paris... These cafes gives you a homely feel where fresh bread, croissants and pastries are baked and on the sides the coffee brewery just reminds of home. My first day morning wake up was with the smell of fresh and warm bread baked smell... I can still feel that and not only that it's the joy that comes with it in your heart. You want to get up and go out to feel the smell, to taste those fresh ones and watch people.. Some are like us running around to go to work and some are like enjoying the moment.
I really enjoyed my mornings here with spending time at the cafe... I got to observe people around, see their beauty, their culture, their language and more when they speak the language and the way they speak because French being their first language... It's an experience that makes you want to learn their language French.
The amazing thing that I loved about this city is the there's no community or rather there's only one community and that's of being human.
You will see all kinds of people, of all ages, from all different places with different religion, language and what not but the beauty is that everyone speaks French and look and feel one!
Here people are not in hurry, doesn't seem like they want money either because everyone is taking things at their own pace, no hurry, no race just live at it's own way... Made me feel very relaxed. People party here on Saturday and Sunday nights, there's no mourning moment that I see in US on a Sunday evening... Here life is full on living with fun and joy. One simple thing that today one needs to learn is you don't need a hell lot of luxurious things to be happy. Simple things such as having an expresso outside of the cafe looking at the traffic, may be a smoke in hand, or some with a placard protesting the government for the raising gas price and yet wave at us asking, are you from India? Which part in India? Or someone in the car starts a political discussion about America and the Trump lovers and French government and their smartness in managing things without discrimination and thinking ahead of the game... All in a simple way you express and move on... Isn't that anyway we do in other places too? But there we do with a bit of more stress, hatred, racism, guns and killings!
One should travel to discover the simple pleasures existing in small places around the world. If you travel you will not hold on to things too tight and that let's you lose your ego, and your belongings so that you're light and less stressed about anything and will make you live life and be happy as happiness doesn't cost much in real!
As I say Au revoir to Paris, I say je t'aime Paris 💕, you have taken my heart to keep with you forever ❤️!
~ Dawn
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