Bonjour

-
Dear Paris,
Parlez-vous anglais s'il vous plaît? That's all the French I know. Chances are high what is written would not make any sense to you as well. Which world are you living in?! How can anyone not know English! I feel like a stranger on your streets.

It is good to be the stranger sometimes. You can say whatever you like without the fear of worrying about what others make of it. ''Kameeno, kabhi to hass lo'' That's what I said out loud while travelling in the tram. They didn't have a clue.

On a more serious note, your people barely speak. There is pin drop silence in public transport. The city seems like it never speaks. The calmness is conspicuous to anyone who comes from a place called India.

However, you speak through art and architecture. Every building on the streets has an element of culture in it. Be it theatre, opera or sculpting, all are taken seriously. I must commend you for being able to retain your essence in the extremely modernized and fast paced world of today.

It is good to know you have a soul too. I have realized its importance after having returned from a city that has neither a heart nor soul. I at least know I can fall in love with you as I get to know you better.

Though I have much more to say (stuff like how 'bon apetite' is a misnomer for vegetarians in Paris), I have little time on my hands. I have been invited to a party by residents of your city. Looking forwards to a memorable three hours with them and an even more memorable three months with you.

Cheers,
The Illuminator


Comments

astrodominie said…
you're in Paris! you're so lucky. i only drove through it once years ago. why are you there?
October 9, 2010 at 12:42 PM
The Illuminator said…
Studying. Exchange programme!
October 14, 2010 at 2:21 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It's so hard to say good-bye...

-
There has rarely been a time in my life where I have had such diverse and confusing emotions as I have today. I was so looking forward to the end of college, but yet, when I face the last day of my college life this Saturday, I don’t want it to end. I never loved my college. In fact, the balance of indifference had tilted towards a sense of disdain to the ways of its functioning. So what has been this reason for the change? Is it the attachment with teachers? May be with their quirks, but that’s not a strong enough point. Is it the activities of the college? Well, whatever I loved about those activities has ceased to exist, so that can’t be the reason. I guess it’s the people, my peers, my pals. I have spent four years with them and during this period, they knowingly or unknowingly have become my habit. I am in awe of the intelligence of some and hate the sycophancy of others. I enjoy the humour and respect the humility of a few. In every way, each one’s idiosyncrasy and/or beha...
Read more

Why God Exists?

-
On my trip to Bangalore, I had gone out on a walk with my maternal grandfather, or Nana, as I lovingly call him. Most of the time he was feeling his way along the road. Feeling because he couldn't see. He developed Glaucoma a few years ago after a stroke and ever since his vision has kept degrading reaching a figure of 25% of normal this year. He was also not able to recognize the sound of approaching vehicles since he couldn't hear their engines rattle. He is deaf in one ear and partially deaf in the other. To illustrate, he would not know a truck is approaching him till it is around 10 feet away from him. Despite his health constraints, he has never missed his 5 KM morning walk in the past 23 years that I have known him. Of course, the walk I was on with him was not a morning walk since my morning happens a good four hours after his. It was just a stroll to the vegetable market. We reached a road crossing. It was a two way road with three lanes in each direction separated by ...
Read more

My Precious

-
I am loving this phase. I haven't had to look hard for a reason to smile. All I need is to rewind and replay a memory, one so powerful that it belittles every other that has elapsed in the past. How long are its effects going to last? I am hoping at least this life time. That is being conservative in my estimate. Nevertheless, my growing dependence on it worries me, but I wish to do nothing about it. It is the dependence that is the source of joy, which is as real as the first ray of sunlight. The joy is unconditional and boundless, has truly no strings attached. Is it a dream? Possibly, yes. Such happiness can only emanate in a Utopian world, a fictitious wonderland, which is stuff of reverie. But then I pinch myself to check if it is for real. The thought vanishes momentarily but the feeling stays. I reassure myself that I am right. I am doing what not many others have done. I am living my dream, pursuing my personal legend. Have I achieved my personal legend? No. What I have att...
Read more