PARIS — they say you either love it or hate it. While polarising for many, Paris, for me, was a mix of grit and glamour; a fine balance of grunge and splendour, but overall, what a wonderful Christmas present to myself. Spending over a week exploring the city on my own terms, I’ve come to shed many layers of myself and rediscover parts of my core that I’ve lost in the past seven years — including speaking the language again, which I haven’t had the chance to do in over a decade since university!
Travel, truly, is a salve to my soul, a balm that unfailingly soothes. In between marvelling works of art and clocking in steps, I would take a pause and sink my teeth into delicate macarons that elegantly shattered before melting on my tongue; and croissants oozing with rich, golden butter that dribbled down the sides of my mouth. Let’s not even begin to talk about the cheese. It has been a while since I’ve allowed myself to let loose and enjoy copious amounts of dairy. In the process, I have re-learned the beauty of indulging in life’s simple pleasures — and the importance of investing in quality over quantity. This part of my personal experience of joie de vivre.
Julia Cameron once said that the quality of life is in proportion, always, to the capacity for delight. The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention. As reflected in the works of art strewn all over the city — from spunky street-art to sophisticated sculptures, love undeniably abounds in this magical city. I was truly delighted. The little intricacies and mysteries that Paris holds are hard to ignore.
Ah, Paris. You are known to be the City of Love and the City of Lights for a very good reason, and the only way to find that out is through experiencing the delightful city that you are. You’ve captured my attention and most definitely my heart. Je t’adore! Je t’aime! We will always have Paris, indeed.
Rue des Deux Ponts, Champ de Mars, Musée de l’Orangerie, Les Caprices de Charlotte, Montmarte, Sacré-Cœur, Café des Deux Moulins, Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, Musée d’Orsay, Musée du Louvre, Photos by Mikka Wee
Mikka Wee 