European Frye

Paris. I was intimidated by it, I admit. But this city shocked me. I experienced things I would have never imagined. I'm going to be thinking about this city and its effect on me for quite a while. One thing it did was make me feel fresh, like a slate was swept clean and I feel that I walked out of a haze; a haze I didn't even know was there to a degree. I feel like I should write a bit about Paris and I guess I will. It's just that there was so much more to Paris than where I went, what I did, what I saw and what I ate. Paris is a city that can change people. You have to experience it for yourself. And maybe if you expect something from Paris, the city might not show itself to you in that way. But one thing Paris does, it lets you know it's there. So, yeah, Paris jolted me. And I love this city for it.

There are more pictures of my stay in Paris that aren't being uploaded to this blog. You can see them as a set on flickr. I wanted to include a lot of pictures on this entry to let them speak for me since I am still reflecting on my stay in the City of Lights. I guess I will have to write some more...

I did a lot of walking in Paris. And it was the 1st time during my trip that I wasn't quite prepared. I wasn't wearing my sneakers, I left my water bottle behind and I forgot to pack my raincoat. It rained off and on throughout the evening, my feet got soaked and, ironically, I had no water to drink. But that was all right. I saw a side of Paris that you'd be hard-pressed to see. I was in the right places at the right times.


During my stay in Paris I bought a baguette, cheese, sausage and wine and ate in a park...I feed the pigeons.....gave loose change to a Paris bum....ate a nutella crepe....ate a fromage crepe....watched old men play bocce...rode the Metro...had gelatto...climbed the Arc Du Trimphe....ate at a McDonald's on the Champs de-Elysees....had lunch and dinner on a street cafe on Rue Cler....took a nighttime cruise on the Seine.

I have said this more than once on my trip: I wanted to stay where I was. And Paris was no exception. But it was time to move forward, to experience new places. And that is what this trip has been, and continues to be, with just a few days left: moving forward, with new experiences accompanied with the events of the past.