Taking it all in!

A travel journal entry on Paris ....  Here's a little randomness about what I was going through .... wink.

I started each day with a few of these.  So good.

I'm trying to write the rest of some London details while its past 11 pm or so on our second night in Paris.  After a long full day of taking in this culture and speaking French (which I love, LOVE, love), London is lost at the moment.

I feel bombarded with a rush of emotions and thinking patterns.  My brain is scrambling to make sense of it all.  Process. Process.  Lots of input.  Exhausted.  We've been gone about a week at this point.  I'm excited.  Already trying to work out details (in my dreams) of living in the world, not only my own world.  Of anyone that says the U.S. is the "best", I'm not so sure folks.  Go try and taste something different, you'll see.  The grass may very well be greener or at least more exciting, enticing ... a kind that lingers and pulls your heart strings.

Overlooking part of Paris, looking towards Montmartre!

It's just so nice to experience a little life of a new city, a new culture.  A new perspective.

Paris has this power to pull it out of you, it being life.  A truth lie here and wants to bring out the truth in you ... if you let it.  Change your mind.  Change your perception.  Let it in.  Let it flow out.

Style, sincerity, a slow cool somberness of the understanding of mortality ... and accepting it, graciously with a mild temperament ... then choosing to live the good life, honestly.

Paris smells like rain or a musty essence (even thought it has not rained here yet on our trip).  And sometimes it smells like pee or baby poo.  Ca la vie!

I cannot get over how cool the people are here, without even trying, they know it.  They walk it, breathe it, eat it, even smell like it.  They are it.  No pretentiousness. Confidence, yes, assured, yes.  They are just so damn cool.  It's like they don't give a damn ... that life is to enjoy, soak up, embrace.  That's it!  At least, that's my take on it being here two days thus far.

Take the bistro / cafe culture (well, all the culture).  Everyone sits, and usually outside, all facing one direction, which is looking out into the world.  And they talk and talk, drink coffee, smoke cigarettes (a lot of cigarette smoking everywhere here and you don't have the plague if you smoke) and people watch.  How brilliant! Its everywhere.

And no one is in a rush, imagine that!  I always feel like we are in a huge rush in the states and never thoroughly enjoying ourselves the way they do here.  Please, everyone I know, SLOW DOWN and take your time.  Enjoy the ride.

Even people in business suits everywhere here aren't walking fast, aren't rushed.  They sit in cafes or brasseries or on city sidewalk benches or in parks, even lay in the grass for goodness sakes!  Yes, during work hours.  And, no, they weren't glued to their freaking phones.  And neither were we our entire trip which was so nice.  Try it sometime, I'm serious.  Put your phones down, your computers down, and turn the TV off.  Then, go explore or sit or just talk with someone.  I must say I'm impressed and want to move here immediately for this alone.

Oh so beautiful.

And it is breathtakingly beautiful here, its almost too much!  History, culture, time, detail, artistry installed here, everywhere. Je t'aime Paris!

End of journal entry!  But there is tons more to come.