Paris, je t´aime

Well a friend reminded me recently when he heard of my trip to Paris how this was one of my long time dreams. Well i guess he was right. Of all the European countries, Paris was definitely one city i dreamed of visiting. Well the trip held no disappointments; i was enthralled by the place, the people and the ambiance of romance on the Seine river at night!
I arrived there after 10pm in the night and my shyness prevented me of attempting to put into practice all the french i had learned over the years. Well english is generally spoken there, if only grudgingly i might add. At the airport, an American citizen saw me struggling with the guy at the help desk for assistance as to how to get out of the airport by train or public transport. the strange and wonderful thing is that he came up to me, explained politely that i should ignore the guy, who by the way was sending me to hell, and to follow his instructions. that i did and i managed to get on the shuttle that i later discovered would take you to the stop that would lead to the North station where i would then have to take two metro lines before i came to the location of my hostel. Well, lo and behold, the kindly gentleman reappeared in the shuttle and this time, he gave me a day ticket which he said he no longer needed and explained that it wasnt easy getting around here. The frech public transport system is good but it s a bit confusing and takes a while getting used to, as i would learn.

Well my first experience on the metro was pleasant enough. i must admit being pleasantly surprised byt the number of black people all around and how well they seemed to be integrated. Those who have been to or lived in MAdrid will understand this transition. Nobody seemed to take ntoice of me there with my hijab, another surprise and this time, the added joy to find in the gazes of people not suspicion or even scorn, but flirtatiousness or simple indifference.

Another stereotype- the french are cold, unfriendly. i even read a warning somewhere which stated that help should not be sought from the french who are quickly annoyed. Well i didnt experience that at all... in fact, when some French women sitting at a table saw us looking like confused people, they even asked if we needed help. I must admit that the reception from the cafés wasn´t all that and that some coldness and uncomfortable stares were noticeable.

Anyway, so the first time i arrived in full view of the Eiffel tower, i didnt know how to react. one, because my instant reaction was - but it isnt all that, its in fact ugly!!! but at nite, when it was all lit up, i was definitely taken aback and the walk all along the Seine with this lighted monument was definitely worthwhile. the Seine at nite is the most romantic, beautiful setting. On the bridge of Arts (Pont des beaux arts) you had spectacular views and not a few couples who came there to enjoy a little night picnic.

Montmartre, the bohemian artist´s zone was definitely another ambiance at nite with it´s cafés, painters and little bars which proudly displayed signs revealing one painter or the other´s favourite nightspot. the Dali´s museum there was incredible and is definitely worth a stop! there was a section on his famous moustache, his many clock depictions and the clothes fashion he inspired. Definitely impressing. His ego, on the other hand did draw a raised eyebrow!

oh.. before i forget, just two things which caught my attention. One, the liveliness of the French. in the cafés i´d been to at night, the people would burst into song and dance, regardless of age etc. This was really amusing and i´m sure they were still trying to hold on to past memories of another era. The other thing was the bloated, obsessive nature of the French´s nationalistic pride as seen from their monuments praising and remembering the victories of France. By contrast, the efforts of non-french individuals in the battles seemed to be played down or forgotten altogether..

So by coincidence, the last nite i decided to see a movie that was being released that day and that was directed by the muchliked Julie Delpy. its called "Two days in Paris" and i later admitted that that was the best way i could have left this city. What the movie highlights and caricatures are the typical stereotypes of the French. the said director is visiting Paris with her american bf of two years in a bid to show him her city and parents and rekindle their romance. Sex, jingoisim, arrogance, racism of the typical French emerge from the movie that made me laugh alot.

So all in all, just some vague impressions of my visit to Paris. I deliberately omitted certain "things to do" inorder to ensure i revisit this cité inoubliable!!