NLEK

So it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow and that got me thinking about all things Parisian. Cliche!

I am soon to be heading over to our snail eating neighbours, in a few weeks in fact and I cannot wait. Whether with a loved one or friends Paris has an unquestionable ability to excite every single one of the senses, be it the feeling of fresh pastry, still warm from the oven, landing delicately on cold lips or the sight of young lovers embracing, at that moment careless and oblivious of the world around them, Paris can warm even the coldest of hearts.

One of my favourite things to do in this fine city is to simply wander, with no destination and an entirely unscheduled day you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in your surroundings entirely, appreciating on a greater level the sights and sounds around you. For me the best time to go is round about now. The icy snap that pinches your cheeks and reddens your nose only draws you closer to those with you once again heightening that overwhelming sense of love that is now so famously linked with this romantic city.

Young couples kiss openly whilst older generations opt for the more subtle holding of hands. Women in long fur coats with structured cheek bones walk their dogs but wouldn’t look out of place on stage with the National Ballet as they stroll elegantly down the Champs Élysées. Gentlemen lift their coat collars and tighten their scarves, effortlessly stylish and temptingly handsome, as they guard themselves from the frosty February breeze. The whole scene could quite rightly be mistaken for a film set. As the street lamps stand proudly, lighting the way for wine fuelled tourists and Parisians for that matter, the traffic adds an unconventional symphony of horns and screeches as cars fight for space on the tarmac forcing pedestrians to leap to safety.

I cannot wait to get to St.Pancras, hop on the Eurostar, grab a croissant and coffee to get me in the mood and embark on a new adventure to find yet another a quiet little street in Paris.

“Sans vous, les émotions d'aujourd'hui seraient le scurf de l'hier.”
Hipolito