Paris, Je T’aime

What a city. My first time ever here. I’m going to keep it somewhat brief as I’m not sure the last time I slept and I have a very early train to catch tomorrow.

(EDIT: I’m updating some pictures this morning and am now on the train to Bayonne where I transfer to another train which takes me to St. Jean Pied-de-Port. I slept maaaaaybe one hour last night. So that brings me to a total of maaaaaybe two hours in the last three days. BOOM!)

Highlights:

1. First thing I see upon entering the “Metropolitan” are the photo-booths.

Swoon. Amelie is basically my favorite movie ever, so duh, I got my picture taken.

2. I was able to meet up with the lovely lady I assist for a glass of vin and some snacks at the Mandarin Oriental. Real talk, real support, really fantastic company, food and drink. Très Bien!

3. Gulls with the cutest little black spot behind their eye, as if to say they have street cred. The park birds here seem to be far less annoying to me than what we have back in New York. Nary a House Sparrow and far fewer pigeons than I’m used to. And speaking of those, I believe the pigeons here fly much faster and with more purpose than their Yankee brethren. And then ducks and crows and… something loud chirping in the trees. I’m into it.

Now, walking around for hours today and tonight… I think that there is a part of me that wants to be obscenely dramatic just being in a city like Paris. I feel like I am reading way too much into everything, as if I have to create some sort of a epic tale out of the smallest piece of garbage fluttering by or the sound of children laughing. Real talk though: all the couples sweetly holding hands and embracing each other as they stroll. They stroll. In Paris they walk slowly, they don’t run around like us New Yorkers, trying to get from one place to the next without so much as an idea what is happening around them. Then again, maybe it is not so much that Paris is a more romantic city or that the people here are more romantic… It just so happens that I am looking for a way to be disappointed by the lack of romance in my life. Could this be?

Let’s forget that. I had a really sweet day looking around this fascinating city. And walking home with a light drizzle as I pondered the next few weeks of my life didn’t hurt much either.

4. And all this: