Dreaming Of Paris
I’ve been dreaming a lot lately. As I mentioned before about finding my happy place whilst trapped in a weekend rut, life get’s busy. Deadlines come crashing down with the full weight of expectation, the daily grind seems mundane and life feels just a little bit too trivial. The outlook and forecast indicates too much routine and not enough adventure. It feels boxed in, planned out, and lacking in spontaneity.
I don’t know about you, but this escalates my anxiety to high alert level. I simply have too much I want to see and do and accomplish to be at ease with the concept of stagnating. Even if it is merely a product of my own perspective.
When this happens I always start dreaming again. The lure of faraway places and the prospect of yet to be discovered cities begin whispering temptations in my ear. Sometimes it’s to a little hideaway on a tropical island. There’s an open white sandy beach, a hammock swinging in the shade of a palm frond and a beach-side villa looking out onto the sparkling blue water. Other times, it’s to a green rustic cabin deep within the faraway woods in a destination like Tasmania or Canada. Mostly though, the call of a bustling city speaks to me.
The city of lights, otherwise known as Paris, calls to me in my dreams. Sometimes it’s dirty, sometimes cold, sometimes awash with colour and life and sometimes strange and intriguing. Though always familiar. The language delighting my ears, the people exciting, the views picturesque, the culture vibrant and intoxicating.
I’ve always felt a connection to Paris and the country of France. As a little girl I began to learn the language in school and from there the notion took off like wildflower. I guess you could say the culture had well and truly sunk its teeth into me. The voice in my head telling me that’s where you’ll go, that’s what you’ll do, that’s the place for you.
They say that Paris is the city of love. The city of romance, where couples go for a special weekend away, where partners travel to renew their vows, where young people decide that the language holds all the answers. And it’s true you know, the beauty of romance within the city.
In fact, I was in love each time I visited. Real heart wrenching, all-consuming love. Not with some gorgeous man in a béret and striped shirt in Montmartre, non pas du tout. Although I wouldn’t have minded one bit if that had have been the case!
Instead, I was in love with myself. I was in love with life and in love with the city around me and at the idea that I was there to revel in it. The cold stark bitterness of the long European winter, the sudden floral youth of Paris in bloom in the springtime, and the vibrant hustle and bustle of a city once again come alive for summer had seduced me.
Since then it has been a romance settled in for the long haul. The intrigue of a culture so fond and proud of itself, the forebears of cuisine as we know it, and the home of champagne, croissants, and Angelina’s chocolat chaud too good to pass up.
The clichés of a parisian lifestyle put a glint in my eye and a sticky note in my brain. I don’t ride a bike, but oh how I long to ride my rustic spindly bike along the banks of the Seine. I don’t make a habit of eating bread, but how I long to buy fresh crusty baguettes from the boulangerie as I pass by in the evenings. To rip off the butt and munch on it like the parisians do. I also don’t wear a lot of makeup or adorn my outfits with embellishments, but how I long to coat my lips in a sultry red lipstick, wrap a woolly scarf around my neck and add a tan duffel coat to saunter the 4th and 5th arrondissements.
Mostly though, I just want to live it. I want to use my french all day everyday, erasing my tacky Australian accent and to make use of the good knowledge I hold. I want to use it to have a grown up conversation instead of falling back on it to impress the new cute french waiter at my local café or to teach the kids to count to ten.
What I really want to do is jump on a plane en route to Paris, set up house in a quaint little apartment like Rachel Khoo in The Little Paris Kitchen and pretend that I too can share in an exotic lifestyle. I want to go to the artisanal markets and argue with the grumpy old man over the price of his olives, only to pay him full price, and to hang beautiful vibrant flowers off my balcony because my tiny apartment doesn’t get enough sunshine and warmth.
I want to escape my realities to those in my dreams. I want to reunite my heart with its love. I want to revamp the routine of life and make sure that no two days are the same, and that this girl shall not stagnate.
Until then I shall have to be content to retreat to my memories at the slightest mention of the word Paris, bringing a renewed glint to my eye at the suggestion and a faraway dreamy look to my face. Because if you ask me, Paris is always a good idea. And so I leave this as a gentle reminder for myself, and for you out there also grappling with a strong desire to uproot and jet off to a faraway yet to be discovered land:
Dear Paris,
Wait for me. We will meet again someday soon, I promise.
Paris, je t’aime. xo
Have you felt the call to pack a bag and travel off to a faraway land? What’s your “if only I could escape” destination? Have you been to Paris, did you like it? Did you fall in love?
I absolutely loved Paris! Such an incredibly beautiful city! I can’t wait to go back again 🙂
There’s something so captivating about Paris isn’t there, I love that it can be so beautiful even in the dirty cold of winter.
We honeymooned in Paris. It was glorious, though I am sure if I returned again it could never live up to the memory as it is now embedded in my imagination! Still, when I need a little mental escape I find myself thinking of Paris again… *sigh*
I can completely understand this trepidation Nathan. So much of your first experience is attributed to the situation and circumstance that if you are to one day visit again, there’s a good chance it won’t live up to your memories and expectation. But yes you’re right, everyone needs a little mental escape and what better place for it to be than Paris!!
Thanks for popping over and commenting.
I agree. Paris is very alluring. I had only a short time in Paris, but would love to return to explore and savour some more. I wonder where Parisians dream of visiting?
Good question Norah, as always! I really want to know the answer to this. If we were to believe the claims that the rest of the French people give to the Parisians, we would know that all parisians think they’re above the rest and believe they live in the best city in the world and therefore don’t dream of going anywhere else. However, after meeting several Parisians, I just can’t put stock in this claim. So I will endeavour to ask the next parisian I meet and uncover the answer!
I eagerly await the answer! I’m sure it will be interesting! They must need to get away for a holiday sometime, though I don’t think I’ve ever met many anywhere else!
Love how this post pretty much took me there. I mean, my french goes about as far as Je m’appelle Sheridan. J’Habite en Australie. Je suis treize ans…. Not that I’m thirteen now.. haha. But that’s Year 8 french for you.
Visiting from Sunday Brunch at Mums Take Five 🙂
Haha Sheridan, that’s great. Good memory for basic Year 8 high school French! 🙂 Don’t you think it’s a bit sad though that that’s what they teach you as the first introduction to the romantic and beautiful french language. I mean, as you say, if you’re only ever going to remember a few sentences at best, shouldn’t they strive to instil something more grandiose into memory. Like how to swoon and romance the french waiter at least, surely!
Love the second pic, brings back memories . As for me, I have eternally itchy feet! I dream of Paris too, and many other European cities and countries, and south east Asia, and Nepal, and Africa, and Peru, and Central America, and Tonga, and Cook Island, and Vanuatu, and Lord Howe, and New York, and Alaska, and, and, and – and not just to escape, as we live in such a beautiful and wonderful country ourselves – but to add, enrich, broaden, enlighten, support, make a difference, learn, share, rejoice…
I fell in love with Nimes in France when I travelled through but my escape destination is Budapest.
Oooh Budapest, sounds lovely! What was the appeal for you? Eastern Europe is on my to-do list for hopefully the very near future. I love the history of music and culture in places like Prague 🙂
Oh I could so go to Paris! Cakes! Scenery! Style! My kind of place! Yet to get there and somehow I think I may be grey-haired when I do. Thanks for the holiday!
You’re most welcome, I think we’re all needing a little holiday at the moment. The last little bit of summer escape before the winter sets in (although we don’t have it nearly as bad here in Sydney as you in Melbourne)! You shall have to put Paris on your list of holiday savings fund. xx
Ah Paris how I loved thee! But to be honest I was more enamoured with some of the smaller towns we travelled thru in the French countryside, there’s something so romantic about the idea of throwing convention to the wind and moving to the country.
Oh i completely agree Emma. There are some exceptionally beautiful parts of France, complete with rich and vibrant culture, that really leave Paris much to be desired. I particularly loved parts in the north of france in the countryside, so idyllic. And yes as you say, to through convention to the wind and move to the country would be bliss!