One of the cities I love to visit, more than any other, is Paris. Aaah. Very recently I took a trip to this great city in celebration of a very big birthday I was having (I also like to think of my trip as a sanity break). Now, some will complain that Paris is an overrated, dirty, crazy, expensive city full of Parisians...and I would say...yes, but what is wrong with that?
Did I fail to notice dog excrement and human throat deposits on the ground? No, I have to admit, I did not. I simply chose not to allow it to ruin my other visual discoveries and experience. I adore the splendour of the architecture and spent most of my time with my head craned high to see the beautiful wrought iron and stonework of the buildings. This can be a little hazardous, as you might imagine, with all the deposits on the ground! So I did try to be mindful of looking down occasionally. I like to imagine that when Paris was being developed, a decree was issued for the artisans to create the most visually delicious city. One that would stimulate the appetite of onlookers for centuries to come. I can honestly say that I barely hungered for real food as my senses were both stimulated and satisfied by feasting on the city - perfect for saving money on costly food (this probably accounted for a little weight loss also).
I love walking in cities. Walk and walk and walk. One can never have enough of it. With each step there is a new discovery. Turn down a tiny street and quite unexpectedly it opens to a square with a giant sculpture. Oh, and look over there...it's The Louvre. Let's just walk through there on the way to our next destination. I've seen it all before but never twice from the same perspective. Each time I visit, I am at a new stage in my life, and so each experience is different to the last. And each time I leave, I find Paris has changed me in some way. Perhaps this is one reason that I never tire of spending time in that dirty, crazy city that's full of Parisians!
