i arrived in paris a few days ago, and at first everything was great. strolls along the seine on the left bank, poking through bookstores, and enjoying the afternoon sun. my plan to be a writer staying at the bookstore shakespeare & co. was working out (i had a plan to stay there for a few days, staying upstairs, helping to sell books during the day, and working on my travel writing), but things don't end up the way you plan them to.
after spending an afternoon exploring the various sights of paris, including sainte-chapelle, i stormed a table at a sidewalk cafe with my moleskine notebook in hand, and the waiter who arrived glanced sympathetically at me when i asked for pernod, asking "pastis?". when i replied in the affirmative, he gave me and my obvious melancholy (it's a long story) a wink, and quickly arrived with a jug of water and a glass with a shot of pastis in it. and so i sipped my pastis and water (an excellent drink anytime, but especially on a hot summer's day) in the shade of a potted palm tree, watched the parisians walk by about the business of their day, and jotted in my notebook. despite the city's many charms and places i'd love to explore and visit again, i decided that paris is not the city for me to be in at this time (again, it's a long story).
since i'm not staying in paris, i've bought a ticket back to london, and i'm flying back tomorrow and staying with a friend for about a week before heading to germany.
after spending an afternoon exploring the various sights of paris, including sainte-chapelle, i stormed a table at a sidewalk cafe with my moleskine notebook in hand, and the waiter who arrived glanced sympathetically at me when i asked for pernod, asking "pastis?". when i replied in the affirmative, he gave me and my obvious melancholy (it's a long story) a wink, and quickly arrived with a jug of water and a glass with a shot of pastis in it. and so i sipped my pastis and water (an excellent drink anytime, but especially on a hot summer's day) in the shade of a potted palm tree, watched the parisians walk by about the business of their day, and jotted in my notebook. despite the city's many charms and places i'd love to explore and visit again, i decided that paris is not the city for me to be in at this time (again, it's a long story).
since i'm not staying in paris, i've bought a ticket back to london, and i'm flying back tomorrow and staying with a friend for about a week before heading to germany.
