Paris isn’t beautiful in the aesthetic sense of the word. It has a different kind of beauty; an intellectual beauty. It is a place where you can find yourself people watching and deciphering the conversation flowing between two people sat alongside the River Seine. It is a place to find friends having cups of coffee outside the quaint looking cafes, or sitting on the grass in the park. This reminded of Jesse and Celine from Before Sunset movie. In the movie, the two characters walk through Paris, while talking about their aspirations in life, their jobs and the world they live in. Between the two of them, Paris is a bubble that surrounds them; like a backdrop to their intellectual stimulation.
I passed through a lot of Art Nouveau buildings with beautiful wrought iron clad balconies. I wondered what kind of people lived there; shabby chic types, bohemian and arty people, or ordinary people who thrived on intellectual stimulation. At one point in my lifetime, I toyed with the idea of living in Paris as a writer. The idea of living as a Parisian writer quickly waned when I found myself intimidated by the city upon my arrival. Paris is not a place for dreamers with romantic allusions. It has no time for romance. It is where reality is as complex as understanding the comprehensive works of Proust. That’s what makes Paris beautiful and stridently cool.
Finally, I sat down at a cafe to enjoy a cup of coffee with crepes. I don’t believe I would be visiting the city anytime soon, but if I do, I’d bring a friend along. This is because Paris is a city of companionship, where friends enjoy endless cups of coffees and conversations, while watching the sun set across the River Seine.
(Copied from my blog here )