My life-long problem was in full swing this week as never getting a proper night's sleep returned, and with the factors of the drop-dead boring Philosophy and Literature prevalent throughout the week, I ended up sleeping more at school than in my bed. Which, oddly, had it's doona disappear and replaced with a sleeping bag. Coincidentally, the hobo that I walk past every day has a blanket and a sleeping bag. At around the same time my doona was replaced with a sleeping bag, the hobo only had his blanket, no sleeping bag. It was just one of the pressing issues that was conjured up this week. Issues, such as the floods heading to Victoria, and devastation and despair in Tunisia.
The latter was fully present in Paris and I happened to join the protest that took place on the Saturday. 8,000 Franco-Tunisians and the general public joined hands to display their grief in the current situation in Tunisia. For me, this included climbing statues rock-climbing style and saying that you're the BBC to get the best photos possible. It also included information that (I already knew this but yeah) protests and demonstrations are and always have been a way of life for Parisians. I'm not sure if they ever achieve anything, but it does create a great spectacle to see 'people power' take over the streets and sing together as one; just part of the way of life for people here. And it's that way of life in Paris that I think I'm finally becoming able to describe and understand.
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| Tunisian protests rolling through the streets of Paris. |
With a cure-the-boredom and a non-thought through plan, I travelled today to the Chateau De Vincennes and had a look around at this stunning feat of architecture before heading out a little door and discovered that there was some sort of festival happening on the streets. This festival was on historical cars of Paris and France; some beautiful vintage cars and an array of public interest. And this is what I'm getting at - The way of life in Paris. I had absolutely no intention of stumbling across perhaps the most beautiful cars I have ever seen, in an open space next to the road, next to an astonishingly majestic and historical castle. I had no intention of marching through the streets of Paris with 8,000 people chanting slogans that meant nothing to me, but that's what it's all about over here. You never waste a second of your time in Paris, and in this week, I was finally able to put my finger down on why. You go through the days of school intertwining lessons with cafes, sport and great food. And as soon as that window of opportunity arrives after your last class on Friday, you take it in open arms and go visit the absurd abundance of sights in Paris that millions and millions of people plan their whole life to snatch a glimpse of. I can finally understand why the Eiffel Tower is so symbolic, why the Champs Elysees and The Arc De Triomphe are so well-known; because for some reason, anyone who visits here can just look at them, and just by looking, it always make you smile and be taken aback. I can finally understand why protests and demonstrations are considered more of a 'past time' than a political assertion of strength; I mean, who wouldn't want to take over the streets of Paris with 8,000 people and spend your afternoon causing hell for motorists trying to get around you? But overall, the thing I can finally understand is why everyone says Paris is the most amazing city in the world - and it is simply because of the unexpected. Around every corner, behind every building, it is so easy to stumble on something beautiful. Staring at the main attractions also has it's own unexpected sense of gratitude which is un-canny to anywhere else in the world. Even when you plan to visit something, and it's beauty is overshadowed by another event that you had no idea existed. The unexpected beauty of Paris is almost a physical thing; it's like a feeling in the air that you try to grasp when you come in the face of the beauty around you. That's what makes Paris so special.
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| Old cars of France in the foreground of part of the Chateau De Vincennes. |
Oh, and as for the '14' thing, it is partially because the temperature did reach 14 degrees this week; the hottest I have been outside since November 20. The 14th January was this week and it was when I realised how much I really do love this city, and it was today that I realised I haven't sat on a couch since I've been in Europe, as there are no couches in Jules' pad. The couch situation got me to thinking of the fact that yes, I do have a couch at home. I sleep on a fold-out couch, which is my bed, which is my home. So my other realisation of this week was that I can feel my home calling, and I can sense the readiness and the happiness that awaits me in yep, you guessed it, 14 days.
And I can't wait.
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| Champs-Elysees - Paris, France |
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| There are also countless amounts of parks just like this scattered throughout Paris. |
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