Pandemonium

France, Paris, Eiffel Tower, Triumphal Arch…Those are the words my mother used to depict the destination we were heading to. On the tips of my toes I was reaching for the flight ticket. It was my very first trip abroad and I was going to fly to one of the most mesmerizing countries in the world.

Summertime, arrival time 21:30, the transition from Algiers to Paris for a 10 years old was quite astonishing. On our way to the hotel, I couldn't sit back; I was literally sticking my nose the window. All those colours, those young and good looking people enjoying a little drink on the terasse of a café, the gothic oriented architecture. I was falling in love, spinning and kicking, I was in love.

Every morning I would have my typically French breakfast with milk, sweet viennoiserie and all kinds of fine pastry and confitures*, before jumping into my shoes and diving into the unknown. From museums to galleries, sneaking into alleyways and neighbourhoods adjacent to the highly frequented and fancy streets.

One of the things I love about Paris, is how it slows down on Sundays, it radiates. I could see couples and families walking happily and closely together as if they hadn’t seen each other in ages. I loved how the city smelled of candy, wherever you go, you can’t help but feel like you’re about to meet a giant and adorably decorated cupcake. I loved to ride the bus and go to La Seine, either to walk by the edge or simply sit there and wave back to people on the fly boats. I was only 10, but I could already feel the romantic potential of that sweet city.

I met so many magicians in the subway and so many musicians on my way out. The art in that city comes rushing from every corner, it is like a highly classy and casual circus. It was so comforting, the simple act of rambling in there makes you feel warm and fuzzy. For the life of me, I had never felt like this about a place before,nor after.
The first time I went to Paris, I was transported into a world of sweetness and wonders. But now that I am a grown, I do not feel the same about all of it. I cannot tell whether it is due to adulthood or to the mutation that the society has experienced, but the magic has faded.