Beyond the Glitz and the Glam

Bonjour from Paris! Reunited with dear friends from back home, I’m having a lovely time in the City of Love. Truth be told though, while Paris might be a city for lovers, I prefer it with girlfriends who love to explore boutiques too 🙂

Our time in Paris has been spent exploring; of course the Eiffel Tower has been a fan favorite.

The Palace of Versailles, which we visited yesterday, exemplified the opulence of Kings in the 1600s. Similar to the Palace of Madrid which I discussed in my post here, the Palace of Versailles contains thousands of rooms, only a few of which are accessible to tourists today.

The gardens of the Palace of Versailles were also beautiful, and so naturally, if there’s a garden you’ll have a picture of me in it.

Finally, we visited the Louvre, the gallery with its eye catching glass pyramid most famous for holding the Mona Lisa. Perhaps as intriguing as the Mona Lisa were the tourists elbowing each other to catch a look at the most famous smile in art.

Finally, I’ll conclude with a short story. On an early Parisian morning, my friend and I walked to the nearby cafe. Sitting outside on thin metal chairs, sipping on coffee we enjoyed our view ahead: green leaves swayed in the wind, coaxing sleeping Parisians to awaken in the apartments above us. A narrow cobblestone street ahead of us brought to view the occasional pedestrian, hurrying to work. Then, quite unexpectedly, my friend gestured to a lady next to us. She rummaged through the trashcan next to us, pulling out a loaf of bread, while her son, about eight years old, watched from the adjacent sidewalk. My heart broke. Only moments earlier we shared plans to go shopping; the desire cracked like a rock hitting a windshield at this sight. Indeed, the world is made of haves and have nots.

The rawness of the moment reminds me to be more grateful for my blessings. As we prepare to leave, my friend and I watch the mother amble away. Her son lingers behind for a moment then runs after her. A few moments later, they return, settling down against a lamppost on the sidewalk. The boy prefers to be entirely covered by a blanket, only his bright orange sneakers peaking through the gray cover. He rests his head on his mother’s lap. A young passerby drops a coin, smiles, and walks into the coffee shop. The beggar woman gestures a thank you.