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Saturday, October 21, 2006

Paris ...after London..

Just came back from London. Great city ,imposing,flashy with a touch of history. And yes let me add very very expensive. I felt that even after living in Paris for the last month. Thnaks to the instructions given to by my mother and with the help of a guide book, a rather comprehensive one too I must say, I was able to find cover most of the sites properly. That included a one and half hour visit to Madam Tussaud'd which cost the pocket 25 pounds. To top that my camera batteries decided that they had had enough of my clicking frenzy while I was still still in the room containing statues of contemporary stars. Because of which pictures with Sean Connery, Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Manson to mention a few were not had.

Covering a city alone is a mixed blessing. You have the freedom to do what you want when you want (which includes spending 1.5 pounds on a ridiculously small piece of Japanese confectionary at Picaddily). In my defense it seemed rather exotic and well what the hell I just felt like it. At times you do feel a bit lonely and boredom sets in. So I was quite glad when the day dawned when I was going to bid adieu to London. My idea of coming by the old route, bus and then ferry across the English Channel and then bus again proved to be one of the best decisions I have taked recently. The journey across the sea was awesome. Standing on the deck with two shots of brandy inside me , it did not serve the purpose by the way, with the very strong and rather chilly winds blowing into my face it felt good. All around as far as the horizon all you could see was the deep blue of the sea. What might have seemed like a curse to castaways might well be a boon in today's world. Then you also had these birds flying around, my very very preliminary research suggests they might have been albatross, or rather floating around. Yes for their will were totally superseded by that of the billowing winds. I observed how sometimes when they wanted to go forward they were forced to take a much more complex and torturous routes because of the prevailing winds. I wouldn't have minded switching places with them for sometime. Floating around at the mercy of the winds with a fast swelling sea beneath you and a menacing sky above . Nothing and nobody else around you. Anyway I am fantasising. Before I go on the white hills of Dover also deserve a mention because of their pristine beauty.

I felt quite happy to have landed in Calais , which was the port in France where the ship docked. When the bus reached Paris I was really excited to see familiar surroundings and to hear the alien yet now strangely familiar language. But after coming back to Indiahouse ,where we stay, I realized that familiar though things are they are not always better. The daily schedule with its routiness and bit of other things too were enough to very quickly bring me back to earth. Its actually a bit amusing that when I had started writing this post it was most of what I mentioned in the previous line that provoked me out of my laziness, but how easily I tend to wander around. As reccomended by a lot of my friends I must know how to make my point quickly.

5 Comments:

Blogger Dipanjan said...

Nicely written. To imagine you flying with the albatrosses on the Thames, seems funny when I imagine it. Anyway, rest of it i'll tell you when you are online.

11:39 AM  
Blogger satyajit said...

wat else did happen man? give details!!

2:04 PM  
Blogger Still Searching said...

Wow! So cool to hear from someone else who is in Paris!! I also lived there for 1 1/2 yrs, so I can totally relate to ur post.. though I didnt visit London this time, I've been there before and agree that its vintage, and very expensive!

But about Paris, I totally agree especially about 2 things you said: One, that the language is unknown yet familiar.. I used to learn one new word in French everyday there.. and used to listen to the popular radio station (I think its Red FM).. so much so that now back in Delhi, I listen to the French radiostation on Worldspace just to feel the familiarity with the language again, even though I hardly understand spoken French too well!!

Also read cpl of your previous posts where you said 'Paris is a myth'.. so true!! Its a real blend, though I have to say I prefer the old-world charm of central Paris to the modern buildings of La Defense.. but still its good to see a blend.. I was enraptured by the sights of Paris when I first arrived, and though the excitement does wear off when you getinto the routine of work/study, but you just have to take a walk down the Seine, venture out on a nice bright day in Sacre Ceour, or just sit in a cafe on the side of the road to re-discover the charm of Paris...

Oh no, now I am missing Paris!!

9:39 AM  
Blogger Tikna said...

Awesome man.. you are living the best days of your life, aren't you?? But i do wonder how come the strong winds didn't throw you up and juggle you around. I can almost imagine that.. and wait i am smiling. Keep these posts coming... loved reading this one..

PS: are you able to make do with your spoken french there??

10:16 AM  
Blogger shantanu said...

@dipanjan...thanks...although the feeling is hardly captured.

@ satyajit...i dunno know...tu kabhi change nahin karega..

@ruchika...good to meet someone who shares my passion abt paris..u lived here for 1 and a half years..wow..u were really lucky..

@ankit...thanks...yes these days r really enjoyable..as for my french..i'm getting more and more fluent by the day ;)

6:27 PM  

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