s    s    s    s    s   

Back home but still dreaming of Paris...

I'm convinced that the city of Paris has some crazy voodoo magic that grabs ahold of your emotions and won't let go.  My physcological being was so manipulated with various behaviours that I'm sure I was the most baffling travel companion.   My frame of mind was varying each minute.  I mean, I stood rock solid still in front of the Mona Lisa for the better part of an hour and wouldn't surrender my spot for anybody.  I even kept my elbows extra wide just to stay where I was.  Completely fixated is a complete understatement.   Then, within the same afternoon, I cried like a baby when first setting my eyes on the Eiffel Tower.  My poor husband must have felt like he was at an amusement park of emotions with the constant change in displays of awe, ecstasy and hysteria.  The poor boy.  But I think what I found especially interesting about Paris was that it revived the FIne Arts teacher in me with fierce conviction.  I was so totally inspired.  I wanted to sing, dance, design, paint - just really be involved in the creative arts again.  So, to act on that (forgive the pun), I've enrolled in a summer intensive Dance program at a studio in downtown Calgary.  Hopefully it will quench my artistic thirst before I plunge full tilt back into work at a Fine Arts High School in September.

The fashion in Paris absolutely rocked my world.  Some may find that statement shallow or inconsiquensial, and if so, I don't care, but you may to want to skip the next paragraph.  I was absolutely drawn into the high-end va-va voom of Haute Couture.  I guess in a sense, fashion is an art form.  The parisian woman are unusually beautiful and so is the clothing.  For example, one day I saw a young mother pushing a baby stroller down the street.  She stopped to tend to her son or daughter and this gave me the opportunity to stare at her and analyze her outfit like the crazy fashion stalker that I have seemed to become.   Immediately, I noticed that this woman is decked out to the nines.  Head to toe in the latest and most beautiful clothing I may have ever seen in my life.  We're talking straight out of French Vogue.  Leather gloves, black beret, boutique black dress with stockings and pumps, loose black trench and a silk scarf.  Polished.  Initially I thought to myself, there's no way that woman is the mother, how can she look so good?  She's got to be the nanny.  I had sufficiently suppressed my inner jealousies with lame excuses when suddenly she picked up the little bundle and covered the child in kisses.  Definitely hers.  How was this woman so polished and fabulous?  Is it really her clothing?  Well yes, of course it is Kate!!!  Here is a woman who takes obvious time to present herself to the world in an way that encourages beauty.  She obviously shops at boutiques and spends a great deal of time picking and choosing the best cuts and fabrics - plus she has a baby.  Talk about superhuman.   With all the crap that is going on in the world, this woman has taken time to make herself beautiful.  Shallow?  Hedonistic?  Some will say yes.  But I say dignified, graceful and self-confident, and I guess a little Chanel never hurt.

A few things that surprised me about Paris was that contrary to popular hollywood notions, the people are not snobby.  Also, I really did think that the Parisian carrying around a Baguette in his or her grocery bag or in the basket on the front of their bike was a stereotype.  Nope.  Everyone, and I mean everyone smokes.  It's not a bad habit there, it's a cultural necessity.  You are weird if you don't smoke.  The meal portions are miniscule compared to ours.  It's embarrassing.  The woman don't wear make-up.  A bit of black eyeliner, a touch of rouge and good to go.  There are very few gypsies and beggars - Calgary is much worse for street dwellers.  Unfortunately, Notre Dame wasn't as grand as I had expected it to be, and finally it surprised me how good Ratatouille actually tastes.  For peasant food, that's an (excuse my French) damn good dish.

Au revoir for now beautiful Paris.  We will return one day.  

e  e  e  e  e  e