Poetic Sensibility

34 - Viva La Paris

I am super excited about this post. It's one from Romi's blog. It's short but it's quite close to my heart! I do hope you enjoy reading it! 

p.s. They're finally taking off! Yay!

18th May, 2014.

        This time it was different. A good different. I felt the ground beneath me shift in a way to get me giddy with joy. As I write this, I am sitting at the Costa Coffee outlet near Gate 25A of the International Airport, waiting for my flight to Paris. My friends; who, to begin with, were people from different walks of life with just one thing in common- poetry; are over the moon about the opportunity to see the one city that at first, baffles an artist, then surprises the artist and ultimately moves the artist in such a way that he can't help but fall in love with it. For once in my life, I am sorely tempted to call myself more than just a teacher. Today, I want to be the artist.

        The itinerary that we have jointly composed is full of things that will attempt to endear the city to us and ultimately, us to the city. At the thought of the late breakfasts of buttered croissants and French macaroons to the banks of Seine, every cell in my body is screaming 'C'est la vie!'. This feeling actually is pretty contagious as far as the group I am going with is concerned. Everyone can't seem to stop gushing about all the amazing things we are going to be a part of when we reach the city of wine and perfume. 

        When I had initially suggested the destination for this year's trip to Keshav, I hadn't really given much thought to it. In fact, it had seemed like a good option for a broke traveler (considering we are spending less than Rs. 70,000 on the trip, and yes, that includes airfare). But then once I had his consent, my mind couldn't help but drift to all those lights of Paris. All those praises heaped upon the city. All those loving looks as people gazed upon it. I thought of dear old Audrey Hepburn's famous lines about how "Paris is always a good idea".

        But what really makes Paris a good idea? I haven't the foggiest! And I can't wait to discover it! I wonder when that time will come when I will just really know. Will it happen when I apply my mom's homemade aachar to the baguettes that I buy on-the-go to save money? Or will it happen when I finally take the first sip of an authentic cafe au lait at Laudree? Or perhaps I will feel Paris when I have a lock of my own on the Paris love-locks bridge.

        Whenever I do feel it, I will know that I have done so with the people who most deserve to be in that city. Wilde mentioned that the aim of a true artist is to hide himself behind his art. I believe that Paris is the place where all these artists go and never feel the need to hide anything, the least of all themselves. And as a group of people who have appreciated, adored and argued in favor of the arts, I wonder... is this THE city for us?