The French connection...

I can't believe that I've lived in Paris for 1 1/2 years and haven't written a word about it in these 1 1/2 months on this blog! Tsk tsk... this is just not done, esp when I have so many stories to tell, not the least being about the French aversion to all things 'English'!

So I was working in Gurgaon, slogging my butt off in a 9 to 9 software job with no rewards (immediate or otherwise) and no appreciation... luckily the HQ of the clients I am working for is in Paris, and so the dream of visiting the city of romance lingered somewhere in my sub-conscious mind.. I am not sure if my boss read my mind or whether it was my incessant chatter about Paris this and Eiffel that which made him think of handing me an assignment there, but lo and behold one fine Monday morning (if such a thing is possible), he comes to me and says "Ruchika, you're going to Paris"!! (Let me just add that my mom was the happiest to hear this news, since going to Paris for a vegetarian like me meant I'd have to cook food myself and which would mean I'd learn cooking!! )

As I touchdown in Paris, I get the feeling of 'coming home'.. strange familiarity which perhaps arises from watching too many movies or reading books (having unsuspectingly read 'da vinci code' just 4 months before I actually set foot in Paris)... I discovered that the Mayor of Paris has a strong liking for all things old and does'nt like modern architecture much... which is why he has relegated the La Defense modern business centre to the outskirts of Paris, and the main Paris area retains the old world architecture, with even buildings painted almost the same colour! So the city has a charming, cultural heritage site look (barring the 'Indian market' area, I have to concede)...

What makes Paris special is the feeling that there is love all around you, esp in the summer season! You walk down the Seine, stand in the middle 'Pont de Alexandre III' (the best of the 11 brigdges on the Seine connecting East and West bank) and look out onto the Sacre Coeur church in the distance, the Louvre expanding over the horizon and the Notre Dame painting a picturesque view in the middle of the river, and you think "this is when u fall in love"... and believe me, at this point everything and everyone looks good and the world seems a better place to live in! No wonder its THE destination for honeymooners!

The first time I saw the Eiffel tower (tour eiffel), it was as if I just stumbled over it.. one evening on the way back from office to my hotel, I just decided to hop off the metro and take a walk around the Champs Elysees.. now I didnt even know I was close to the Eiffel at that time! So I just kept walking along the Champs Elysees, breathtakingly bright and lit up... and I turn a right corner and whoa! there it is, the sparkling Eiffel right in front of me! It was lovely standing near the Seine at nite (in Jan) and watch the Eiffel glitter as it does every hour for ten minutes.. now the Eiffel isnt as beautiful as the Tajmahal (uhh... I can tell u some French people think so too!), but its very majestic and captivating nonetheless, esp at nite... it was one of the best evenings I had in Paris...

I know that most of you have already heard of my many Paris stories and experiences and are probably bored of it after so many months, but hey, let me preserve my memories somewhere in cyberspace so I can look back some day and re-live my experience... look out for more on my French experience with the 'real europe' series and the 'Parle vous Hindi?' blogs...