A Day in Paris

Paris. Once upon a time I tended to dismiss Paris. I'd never thought anything about it except that I didn't want to go there. I never thought it'd be me to come and fall in love with a place so.. so... so idolized? That may not be the exact word I'm looking for, but you know what I mean. A city that people see as a fairytale ending. A city full of romance and love that little girls dream of running off to and getting lost in. And maybe that's why I never considered I would like it, because that was how I pictured Paris. 

When I hit Paris I was shocked. I had under (or over) estimated it to an embarrasing extent. Walking down the street there were beggars, homeless, and crazies everywhere you looked. The streets were dirty for the most part and there was graffiti thrown on nearly

every building. To say the least, I was relieved. It was perfect. Every big city has the same sort of atmosphere, but Paris is different. It feels dirty in a classy way. It had perfected being dirty. Not that all of it is dirty, it still holds the magnificent gardens and such that're so well known. But I think it was how everyone interacted. They all went about their buisness like it was a well rehearsed play. Now I know this tells you nothing of how it was, but just watching them was exhilarating. How is this so great you ask? It was how I turned a corner to find a crazy old man performing a skit for a homeless girl and her parents. It was no fucks given attitude of the citizens. How they would flippantly jaywalk whenever they wanted regardless of cars. How the motorcycles and mopeds would weave in and out, up and over the sidewalk or crosswalk as they pleased. Lemme' just say I've never seen someone look cool on a moped until now. And all of this done with the complete knowledge of what they were doing and not giving a damn. Just walking through you get vibrant feeling. Frankfurt and Stuttgart were fun cities, but for the most part all cities are the same with nothing new to offer. They all have the same old decent looking cathedral or a capital building with a random gold statue on top. But Paris made me feel intrigued again, there was a sense of unknown. Of wonder. It has more to offer than a mere ordinary city. It has things to offer I've never done before, things to offer I've never considered doing before. I makes you feel like there is so much more to life than what you're doing. It's huge and massive and old, all on a grand (not the Irish sense of the word) scale. Most cities will have a few or two cool buildings spaced out around the city ye know? But not Paris, oh no. In Paris proper everything is on such an impressive scale. Every building fighting for your attention. Each begging to be explored and sought. I could spend a year here and still feel like I hadn't seen it all... 

So congratulations Paris! You have not only swayed my opinion of you but you have full on recruited me to your defense. I'll promise one day that I will be back to visit you again, and I sorely look forward to that day. 

Be happy!

Beacon