City of Love

Paris - The City of Love... I used to think it an exaggeration and rather cliched everytime I heard someone use that phrase. I mean really, a city is a city, how much more romantic can it get in comparison to the other great destinations of the world...

This was my second time in Paris and by the end of the first day of my holiday, I'd begun to see what the swooning was all about...

When I was there in September 2005, my trip was a blur. I had about a week and there was just so much to see and do, and I wanted to see them ALL! The Eifel Tower, The Louvre, Notre Dame de Paris, and as many of the quarters as I could drag my tired feet to. Half my time was spent planning the most time-saving routes for my tour around the city, and the other half trying to keep to what I'd planned... which essentially meant I had little or no time to fully appreciate the true beauty and serenity of Paris.

But I had a second chance, and this time, since I was past doing all the touristy stuff (yes guilty as charged), and Jochen was more than familiar with the nooks and crannies of his home of about a year, I was treated to a first-hand experience to a small part of the Parisian way of life in the summer.


The day I touched down, Jochen took me to Trocadero to catch the Festival Andalucia. That was a treat considering how hooked I am to all things Spanish. Weather was absolutely gorgeous... blazing sun with a breeze... heaven! Yes! I was indeed on a holiday!

What do you do when the weather gets a litle too hot? You soak your feet in the cool waters of the fountains at Trocadero...


...whilst continuing to soak up the rays!

Can you believe I don't remember these statues despite coming here less than a year ago?!


Evening stroll...


Another way to enjoy the sun is to have a picnic, and lawns aren't the only places you can do that... try the Passerelle des Arts instead.


My trip coincided with the first week of the World Cup so it would've been silly to not take advantage of the fact that I'd be able to watch the matches at a decent hour i.e 9pm as opposed to 3am if I were back home :p


At a stadium at Cité Universitaire watching France vs Switzerland (on a big screen of course)


And through the World Cup, I got to meet like-minded football enthusiasts, like...


Estelle...

... Fernando (L), and Sasha (R).

Of course I wasn't about to spend my whole week there on football, so I dedicated a day to roaming through the Jardin des Tuileries, all the way down to Champs-Elysées and ending at the Arc de Triomphe, and another with a colleague who happened to be up around the same time, and getting lost somewhere along Rue St. Dennis and then being loudly (and somewhat rudely) asked if I wanted to engage in some intercourse... and I don't mean the verbal kind :p

My last 2 days held a little surprise for me. Be it a lucky coincidence or divine intervention of what-have-you, the basement (or carpark) in the building Jochen works in collapsed, and everyone was sent home! Tough for the company but Hooray for me! I now had my own perosnal tour guide.

Upon Hddenson's recommendation, we decided to take a stroll throught the side lanes of Le Marais. (thanks for the tip, Hidd! I enjoyed myself throughly!!) There was none of the hurried feel you would usually get when navigating your way down Orchard Road back home. Instead, people here were taking their meanderings at such a leisurely pace, it makes you wonder if they really DON'T have any other place to be at. I loved the narrow side lanes and the uniquitous little cafes that you don't really see at first, and then jump out at you as you get closer. They are the perfect places to sit in and watch Paris go by, or catch up with your girlfriends for
the latest in their lives, or have a few stolen minutes or 30 to canoodle with your other half. What really caught my attention were the teenie tiny tables lined up outside every Parisian cafe. That and the fact that all the chairs faced outward, making customers appear to be watching a play or something, amused me to no end. Call me childish but they became the source of numerous exclamations and bursts of hastily suppressed giggles. ( I think J was ready to leave me at a corner if I started on my 100th comment). So there I was, sitting at a cafe and sipping my hot chocolate, trying to look as though they were something I do all the time, when in truth the only thought that kept running through my head was, "Where will they fit all the plates if we were a hungry party of 4?" For people who know me well, they'd be able to say that food is one of my passions.

So, that same evening, Jochen scored some extra brownie points when he took me to this little wine bar somewhere in Montnartre where suctomers could choose a bottle of wine from the racks that ran along the wall, and savour it with a selection of soft cheeses and meats... Needless to say, being the carnivore that I am, I enjoyed the meats more than I did the cheeses. (and I am well aware of the fact that I could get shot for making such a statement).

Oh, since we're on the subject of food, the kebabs are THE BEST!!! Nestled in bread smeared with sauce blanche and piled high with grilled meats and fries... Sigh... it hits the spot everytime...

Anyway, by the end of my 8 days, I probably saw alot less of Paris compared to the same amount of time last year, but I sure as hell had more of a taste of the culture and lifestyle. And just a note before I end, despite what most say about the cool attitude the French have towards non-French speakers, I had several very pleasant encounters with Parisians, who tried their best to commnunicate with me, even if it was half in French and half in English.

More photos on Flickr. All taken with camera phone therefore quality has been compromised :)