CITY OF LIGHT?

Ah, Paris. In April, I spent 9 days there. I was living in a small apartment in The Marais (so small, the bathroom door had a bit cut out of it to accommodate the washing machine door when it opened!). At the end of my street were views of Notre Dame's towers and The Pompadou Centre. An underground radio station (Radio Marais) buzzed in the bottom of my building 24/7. Stunning stuff. I was lucky to be in the driving, swelling, giddy heart of the city... I guess... Paris divided me this visit. When you get past the treasures in the Musee d'Orsay, Notre Dame, Montmartre, Sacre Coeur, La Tour Eiffel, the many wondrous shops etc, Paris is a massive, grimy, difficult, heavy city, with overpriced, dull food. The waves of Parisians and visitors got to me. The pickpockets with their pretend causes got to me. The homeless in tents near Gare de Lyon got to me. The beggars got to me. The rushed people smacking into you got to me. The smoke in the bistros and cafes got to me. The indifference and rudeness of flustered waiters got to me. The cigarette butts and dog urine everywhere on the sidewalks got to me. The army and police presence got to me. The anti-gay marriage protestors got to me. The cramped Metro carriages got to me. It almost pains me to whine, as it's been a city of such wonder before... It seems such a soulless place in many ways. But hey, who am I to judge? I should have just dealt with it. When in Rome. Saying all that, I'd go back there in a shot! LJ, 27 May 2013.