Postcards from Paris, Part I

Oh, Paris. The city of light.

She’s cemented in our psyche as a place of dreamy romance, and while she’s a bustling, multifaceted city susceptible to urban grittiness like any other, there is, undeniably, something about Paris. From her charming cafe culture and stylish denizens to her troves of history and art, Paris delights the senses.

It’s hard to pinpoint the right adjective for Paris. It manages to be at once historic and modern, highbrow and cheeky, pristine and tough. Like any city her size, Paris offers any experience you want, whether it’s cliché Parisian or funky alternative.

We went to Paris at the beginning of February, after many postponements due to the covid-19 pandemic. As Paris was my first destination abroad twelve years ago, I was excited to return to the city and take in my favourite spots as a more-seasoned traveller. She did not disappoint.

We crisscrossed Paris on foot and by metro, walking up to Montmartre, down to the Seine, and across the bridges to the Latin Quarter. We explored the warren of streets that make up Le Marais and sat for a while in some of Paris’s most recognisable parks. We accompanied every meal with a glass of wine and watched the Eiffel Tower light up at night. We indulged in mussels and fresh fish at a local market. We ate countless pastries and treated ourselves to impossibly pretty macarons.