Monday 27 August 2012

A little on Paris


Ah, Paris in August. Good, because the weather is lovely if you like it to be hot and sunny. Bad, if you don't like to be overwhelmed by tourists and want to experience the city's truth.

I visited because, as mentioned in my previous blog post, I wanted to become inspired. While I do believe that happened, it probably didn't to the extent that could've been. It was just the wrong time of year (most Parisians leave the city in the summer, and tourists choose this time to flock). Although, knowing that I wasn't the only stranger had made me feel more secure.

I've also learned that if you really want to see Paris, and blend in as much as possible, you must not only visit out of tourist season but speak conversational French at least. And since I hate being identified as a tourist, when I go back I need to ensure that my vocabulary goes beyond "je ne parle pas Français", "Pouvez-vous parler Anglais", and "À bientôt"!

But, even so, I managed to really enjoy myself and become more aquainted with the city, which is something that I now know I needed to do, because I intend to visit every year or two from now on.

Anyway, stay tuned! A larger recap of my trip will follow soon.