Rest of Week 1 in Paris

Paris - The rest of week one

Day 3: Lost in a sandstorm

It started off as just another day in Paris. Had a brilliant Margherita pizza for lunch (I can almost hear the sniggers from all the ppl who are aware of my Diet plan!).But seriously, this was a lil thicker than a papad. Totally loved it. Did quite a bit of work in the office and left for Auchan (which is a huge Supermarket chain here) by foot. Was 1km from our office I guess. Anyways reached this mall which has its entrance in a garage (I have no idea why though!). It was like a regular mall except for the huge Soldes boards everywhere. Went into the supermarket to pick sun screen and shampoo and I was floored! Numerous ceiling to floor shelves lined with every possible brand I have read about in Cosmopolitan or Femina. I was in cosmetic heaven! Isoup helped me understand the French words for sun screen etc. so I found my way around quite well. Also picked up some essentials for my kitchen in the hope that I shall begin cooking soon.

I deviate here to speak a little about my work environment. People here are extremely professional in their way of working. The office is a place where you come and work, grab some lunch and leave. I don’t see these people socialize or chat or discuss their children etc. like I did in Israel. But I guess the French or in general all the Europeans are very closed. They are not known to be expansive or extroverted. Given the chatterbox that I am, quite surprised to say that I have toned down my general exuberance by several notches to fit in better in my new environment. It’s been a whole office week now and I think I have adjusted quite well.

Back to Auchan. By the time Sachin and I finished shopping, the 3 inch heels were taking their toll on my legs so we sat down for a coffee. It was already 8.40 pm so we decided to leave. In case you are wondering about the irrelevance of the topic of this post to my mindless ramblings, your patience has just been rewarded. Sachin and I decided to find a shorter way home by exploring a seemingly parallel road. After a kilometre of walking, we realise that we are hopelessly lost and the Signboards’ pointing to Paris was not a comforting sight! I mean, we must have walked out of Paris to see signboards to Paris! We asked around for directions and looked at some maps and just when it seemed like we had managed to find our way home, a sandstorm starts. And when I say sandstorm, I mean gusts of wind pelting sand at us from all possible directions! And the worst part was that we were walking against the direction of the wind. And we were at least 3km away from home! We risked life and limb to reach home..actually we didn’t but I have always wanted to use that phrase :-)

So that was a very eventful day 3 in Paris.

Day 4: Lost again

By now, most of you must think I am completely devoid of any sense of direction (given the increasing regularity with which the word lost appears in my post!) but that is quite untrue. The first instance of getting lost was coz I was too tired to think...and this instance was coz I trusted JP to know Paris the way I know Jerusalem or Tiberius! Anyways JP returned from Athens today....he was gone just 2 days but I really missed him. Guess when you're away from home, family and friends every familiar face matters to you and the absence of one is felt more acutely. So told JP all that I did in his absence...finished quite a bit of work..but left only by 8.30. Decided to cook dinner. Made a fairly decent rasam and scrambled eggs.

By the time we finished dinner it was 12.30 but moi felt like going for a walk. So JP decided to show me the miniature Statue of Liberty that Gustave Eiffel made for the city of Paris. It’s not publicized at all but it’s quite decent. Anyways we walked along La Seine, passed a couple of bridges and then I saw a really beautiful sight. The Eiffel Tower with twinkling lights! It was seriously stunning! It twinkles once every hour for 10 mins. And for those of you who did not know this, Philips is responsible for the lighting of the Eiffel Tower. So walked till the Javel bridge and took a turnaround to reach the hotel. Somehow, the turnaround wasn’t as smooth as expected and we reached a part of Paris JP wasn’t familiar with. JP has lived in Paris for over 4 months and knows most nooks and corners so when he claimed to be lost, all hope was lost. But unlike the last time, we were at least in Paris, so after walking an additional 3 km we were back along La Seine on the way to the hotel. Reached my Room at 3 in the morning and crashed.

End of Day 4

Day 5: Magic..Perfection...

If I ever made a list of the best days in my life, then today would definitely make it in the top 5! Started off as just another day in Paris. Did some kelsa in the office and I was done with my work for the week. Went out for lunch with the top brass of NDS France. Me, JP, Sachin and Manju Venkata from India and Miloud, Lucas and Jean-Paul from France. Went to this Lebanese restaurant quite close to the office. Had a robust red wine which I didnt like too much. I liked the hummus and Falafel though. Nice meal, nice company. Will come back here again for sure.

Returned to the office and resumed work. Learnt a little road terms from Isoup and a few terms regarding hair cut from Christine. Left office by around 7 and after I changed into a nicer dress we left the hotel around 8.

As an intro to the beauty of this day, let me tell you what JP had planned for us. A walk that starts from La Defense, down Avenue de Charles De Gaulle, a pause at the Arc De Triomphe and a walk down Avenue de Champs Elysses right up to the Concorde and then down La Seine back to our hotel. I can tell you that this walk captures the very essence of this beautiful city and should be put on the must-do things in Paris for those of you who have the stamina. So we reached La Defence by the tram. Had a look around again at the beauty of the sky scrapers around us. I haven’t been to Manhattan yet, so this skyline is the most impressive I have seen till now. Beats the hell outta the Deira Dubai skyline that had been my best till now. We then started on our waking tour and reached Avenue des Charles De Gaulle. This is where the rich and famous have their houses, at least the ones that live in Paris. Nice walk along La Seine and there is a beautiful garden with fountains smack in the middle of the road. The roads, the architecture...Ah.....I know now why Paris is called the most romantic city in the world. With the right person to experience it, this city is paradise......and even without it, I seem to be having a whole lotta fun so great! We reached Troceador at exactly one in the night. Now Trocedor is a view point made specifically for enjoying looking at the Eiffel tower. So we just sat there and the Eiffel started twinkling again. Overwhelming...just beautiful...and then we reached home...I could go on and on but this post is already quite long....think I shall have to start editing my posts soon enough!

Day 6: Snip Snip!

There are a considerable lot among my friends and family who just adore me with long hair. And it was for this section, that I had grown my hair as long as it was when I reached Paris. But the sweltering heat here crumbled my resolve to keep my hair long and voila, you now have Amu with short hair! But fear not, by the time you see me again it would have grown to most of its original length. Got a nice cut as did JP. The chick who cut his hair looked a lot like Victoria Beckham....not sure though whether she inspired him to get his hair cut in the first place :-).

Anyways, did some small bit of shopping in the La Defense mall and then took the metro to Opera. This is a beautiful building..an excellent example of European architecture (not sure if it’s Gothic or some other style..shall do the needful research soon!)..and the best part of this particular location is the La Fayette galleries. OMG...just brilliant...I could just window shop for hours and not get bored. Really great stuff. Saw some ahem-ly stuff that I shall mail across to the people who need to know about it ;-)...

Then we went to the Pakistani part of Paris called Strasbourg St. Denis and ate biryani. I, for one, am not the types to wanna eat Indian food within a week of coming from India. Nonetheless, at least to know where I can get a mean veg biryani at 9 in the night, we had a decent biryani at this Indian restaurant called Rajpout, although the Pakistani waiter seemed to seriously have something up his you-know-where. Was extremely uncourteous and princess that I am, it didn’t go down too well with me. Anyways, was super tired after this so just left for home.Day 6 is over!

Day 7: Lazy Sunday

Spent most of today just lazing around...went to this area in Paris called Sacre Couer. Brilliant view of the entire city of Paris. We went further up and there is this entire street with artists who draw your portraits..and they are really good at it..Very quaint and European. Definitely returning to this place.
Then we went to Gard De Nord which is the tamil area in Paris. Quite shady although you get all the Indian cooking items here the place in general is shady. It's the KR Market of Paris :-)
Returned home, cooked some food and tachi.

End of week 1 in Paris..I have shorter hair and I already look slimmer...yippee..

Paris

Bon Jour...
Its day 3 in Paree...let me recap what i have been up to in the Romantic city till now...
Day 1: Surreal
Reached by around 8.40 in the morning. Got into a taxi to the hotel. I guess the route from Charles De Gaulle to the hotel is not quite the best way to acquaint yourself with Paris. Simple architecture...mostly industrial buildings...so I wasnt too impressed...
The hotel...I am lodged in an ApartHotel that will be my home for the next 3 months. Its a tad bigger than a matchbox I guess...atleast it seemed that way. Anyways with a lil help from JP I have rearranged the room better and I have become quite accustomed to it now so I guess it aint too bad...Have not yet started cooking though...need to go to the super market and buy vegetables etc...plan to do that today evening...
Coming back to Day 1, unpacked, got ready and left for the office with JP...its a nice walk...albeit very very hot....i am actually getting cooked here..and the absence of air-conditioning in my room doesnt help! we walk over a bridge on the Seine....and I got my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower...wasnt breathtaking and all though...reahed office...met some ppl...made a nice new friend in the office..Issoup..who is my colleague cum French Tutor cum answer to most problems...:-) really sweet guy..
Didnt have much work to do..so JP and I set off at 6 to explore the city that is to be my home for a while...Took the tram to La Defense...which has this huge arch called the Grande Arch...and some brilliant sky scrapers...really nice..and the mall in the station is well..shopper's paradise I guess..its really huge...anyways...had a nice cup of hot chocolate (what else!) at this bustling cafe near Grande Arch...and then the surreal part of my day began...took the metro to Champs Elysses.....wich is an avenue from the Arc De Triumphe to the Concorde....it houses all the top brands from across the world....and it is here that I learnt my fave french word....Soldes...which means Sale!!!!....The entire avenue is cobbled and you get glimpses of European architecture which is just beautiful...you have loads of cinemas here as well..so JP and I watched Superman Returns..which I had really wanted to watch....had dinner at Quicks...this fast food joint....had a nice veg roll....and reached home at 1....finito day 1 in Paris...
Day 2: Sleep Walking...
Managed to drag my sorry self to the office....the constant travelling and the late nights had finally taken their toll on me.. could barely do any kelsa..so left for home by around 5...and crashed....had dinner in Venkata's room and slept...
Shall put up a post abt the rest of this week and pictures on Monday (lundi in french1)..

A Bien Toh:!

Shalom

 I had promised to write a post on my adopted motherland Israel. And what better time than now to glorify a country and a people for whom the fight for their promised land never ends.

The Jews have always been a persecuted people. 
What is it about this race that has given it such a chequered history, thats more black than white? Why has this race earned so much hatred and prejudice across religions and races?

I first learnt of the Jews by their presence in the Bible as an oppressed race, slaves to the Egyptian Pharaohs. They were later rescued by Moses, the prince of Egypt, who parts the Red Sea and takes them to their promised land,Israel. One of my colleagues in Israel told me that it was the Jews who toiled to build the Pyramids that are today a symbol of Egypt's proud heritage.

The next time I heard about the Jews was during my study of World War 2, when Hitler single handedly killed 6 million of this race. 
What drove him to the mad desire of exterminating an entire race? I have been to the 
Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem and it was a heart rending sight to hear victims speak about 
their kith and kin being murdered in front of their own eyes. The Memorial is as much a testimony 
to the madness of Hitler as it is to the indefatigable spirit of the Jews as they overcame one of the 
greatest human tragedies of this century to become a force to reckon with in the modern world.

And over the years, Ku Klux Klans and skinheads and what-have-you's have all done their best
to destroy the Jew, atleast in spirit. And what have they to show for it?
Israel is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the modern world.  They have an intelligence agency that is considered one of the best today. Their army is the most feared. They have achieved agricultural miracles in a country that is mostly a desert.

 The people of Israel live with political strife and terrorist attacks on a daily basis. 
They are surrounded from all sides by foes. And yet, their faith in G-d remains unshaken. 
 Being a conservative Hindu Brahmin, I thought I had seen it all when it comes to 
rituals and strict rules about pretty much everything. But the Jewish faith gave me a completely
new perspective on faith itself. They have rules for everything but each of these come with an explanation and justification for the institution of the rule. 

And the Jews themselves are peaceful people. They have had their temple destroyed, their race was very nearly exterminated and yet we dont see them running amok killing every german they see. Their very greeting Shalom means peace. So why is the world bent on snatching away from these people the land that is theirs...the Promised Land...promised to them by G-d himself. Who are we mortals to interfere with that heavenly judgement?