Mumbai

Having lived one third of the year in the city, I thought it wouldn't be fair to not write something for it. So here I present, Mumbai as I see it.

Lamps filled with dead carcasses

Roads filled with burning engines

Preoccupied robots filled pavements

Lights laden buildings, shimmering past the other

Rain laden clouds float rumbling

With sunlight peeping through their veil

And stars playing hide and seek

Somewhere in this hustle and cloud covers

Breathes a city, unbound and awake

Bustling lives on rolling wheels

Rushing, pushing through a bodied sea

Western, Central and Harbor lifelines

Colaba to Virar and Versova to Vashi

Carrying the people filled bogies

From stocks to science and posh to slums

A city of dreams and fame

A city of fashion and bling

A city of theater and art

A city of no sleep, a city called Mumbai

The one with the one and a half cake

Have you ever been called a tube light by your friends and not know what made them call you that? Or got them laughing on something you said in all seriousness which you didn’t even see being funny at all in your head? Well hi there, I’m one of you. Let’s all get along.

Graduation makes you lose some people and sometimes it does the opposite as well, that is bring some people closer than they were before you graduated. Sidd is one of those people who weirdly enough stayed more in touch with me than any other person I hung out with in the college days. Both of us being big time foodies, photography lovers and preparing for an international English exam, we end up time passing and having long senseless conversations as anyone can expect from active test takers. You can even see that my Instagram feed is more like a proof that we do nothing but play around with words.

PANDEmonium

panDEMONium

PANDEmic

So one fine day, while talking crap and all other stuff, we ended up talking about my birthday last year and how I had lots of cake at my disposal. 

Yes that is my rare happy face

One thing lead to another and as I was explaining the cake situation I ended up saying, “I had two cakes that day from friends who came over and mom baked me one and a half cake, so I had a lot of cake to eat”. Yes you read that right “one and a half cake”. Now for me it is not funny because it was one and a half cake indeed. Now you would ask how one would bake one and a half cake, well my answer to that is, you bake one full cake and a small little one that is almost half the size of the previous one, giving you one and a half cake. Upon my explanation, he burst out laughing, like I had made the joke of the century. And I was dumb found that, what did I just say? I wasn’t making a joke or anything, but he still ended up laughing like a Christmas tree being lit up.

It turns out, that being a clueless simpleton might just sometimes make you funny weather you know it or not. So to my hopeless, clueless tube light family out there, live in your weirdness and wear it with pride, after all who doesn’t like making other people laugh intentionally or just with something you randomly say about cakes being baked as fractions. 

A lakey heaven in the mountains-Nainital

Nainital. There isn’t a word that describes my feelings for this place. It’s a getaway. It’s a beautiful hill station. It’s a place high up in the mountains with a lake in between. But most importantly, it is home. It is where my grandpa grew up, where my dad grew up and will always be the place I call home. So let’s go exploring.

1.      Hike

This shouldn’t come as a surprise as it’s a hill station and what else would you do if not hike when you’re surrounded by those huge mountains? Every summer in school was spent hiking up the same old trails with my cousins and dad and coming back home to get the best sleep ever. The best part of being a tourist at your hometown is that you can go places where the usual tourists won’t go or come back going halfway. Once while I was home during Christmas, we went for our usual hike, up the highest peak in the town called China Peak or more recently renamed as Naina Peak, we found a tourist coming back down and advising us saying, “Hey guys, it’s really slippery up there with the snow being a few days old.” We replied with even more enthusiasm in our voices saying, “Oh great, there is still snow up there?” And the guy informed us that the entire way was snow covered and it was dangerous to walk. When we told him we were local town people his voice dropped to an embarrassing tone and he replied saying, “Oh great, so you guys will go”. We sure did. And it was horribly slippery like the guy said it would be and I was freakishly scared of slipping off and falling into the wilderness of the mountains, which made me make one of my cousins to walk beside me holding my hand so that I wouldn’t fall off. Even though I call it home, I’d never seen snow in my life before and I was so excited that I forgot my nose and lips were frozen with the cold. But that didn’t stop me from taking selfies.

Here is the view from the top of China Peak, you can see the entire lake in the background

Yep its quiet some elevation training right there with this hike.

Just along China Peak is Camel’s Back, where you can go straight through by walking down the other side of China Peak and then climbing up again. As the name says, you probably would’ve already guessed why it’s named so, well yes, because it looks like a camel’s hump. Another good place to hike in town is Tiffin Top, which is a nice place to go for a picnic with friends and family. Once you reach there you can see the Himalayas so clearly that it’s a complete feat for any photographer out there. I got some great photos that Christmas of the snow covered mountains.

The majestic Himalayas

This one's called Nanda Parbat

This right here is called Trishul

Moving further, if you’ll walk down the other end of Tiffin Top then you’ll end up at another famous spot called Land’s End. Well yes it literally is land’s end. It’s like all of a sudden the land just vanished. From there you can see another lake town called Khurpatal down below. If any of you out there is interested in a Khatchar ride, then that is available as well. Though it stinks of their shit, but if you’re tired then you can get a short ride. When you walk towards town from Land’s End you’ll find Cave Garden. It has six caves named after the animals you’ll find in the wilderness like porcupine, panther and so on where you got to maneuver through the caves like the said animals do in the wilderness. It’s a fun place to go and try on your flexibility.

2.      Thandi Sadak

You love solitude? You love nature? You love walking on old, part stone, and part gravel roads? Well Thandi Sadak’s got you covered. Not only is it traffic free, but its right along the lake with a beautiful view of the city. Nainital is a haven for people who love to walk, and Thandi Sadak is just like a cherry on top of the walking cake in the town. Its one side water and one side lush green. What more could one want while walking? You’ll also find an amusing temple while on the way called Pashan Devi, where the goddess is depicted on a rock showing all her forms. It's called so because the road doesn't get much of sunlight and is colder than it's counter on the other end of the lake. Further by the end of the road you’ll reach the shopping hub of the town called Bhotia Market where you’ll find everything from clothing, backpacks, cosmetics, jewelry, and interior decoration to the famous momos and noodles among other tasty dishes. And if you’re lucky you might find a fair going on at flats, the place that holds the market. It could be clothes and goodies fair or a book fair, but you’ll always find the usual rides that accompany a fair everywhere. Flats also hosts lots of tournaments of various sports like, basketball, cricket and the town’s favorite, football. The town’s ropeway also ends there, so you can catch a ride up to another famous stop called Snow View, which since my school days has developed from being just a pit stop to stare through the tiny telescope there and look at the Himalayas, into a full blown amusement stop with freefall, disco cars, shooting and many more things to do. And if you are interested in water sports, then right at the beginning of the road, there is a spot where people go for swimming and kayaking. And if you’re into golf then while coming up to Thandi Sadak from the bus stand you’ll find a way up to Himalaya Hotel which hosts a 9 holes mini golf and if you make the last hole you get to play the whole course again for free. Its super fun and competitive.

That red building is the temple Pashan Devi and at the far end of the photo is the area called flats

3.      Food

Every place has its own taste and a few things that it’s known for being the local specialty. Well I don’t know if the things I’m going to tell you to try out are going to be the usual food on the top list of things to try out there on the internet, but I am sure you will enjoy them. Beginning with a sugary treat for the people out there with a sweet tooth you’ll find the famous jalebis of the “Loti Wala” in Tallital market a divine indulgence. My home being in the neighborhood of the shop and the family a huge fan of their product, it was always a welcome treat in the household that even the grownups would go themselves and buy or send out one of the kids to do the chore. Yogurt accompanies them usually but if you’d rather have just the sweet taste you can have it straight. Another awesome stop for quick street food is Neeru’s which is in the neighborhood of the Loti Wala. I still remember being fascinated by the quickness of the cook there as he used to make the noodles and my all time favorite, Bun Tikkis, within minutes and pack them up, while I used to stand transfixed just staring at the ease with which he used to finish up the orders. If you don’t shy away from a generous amount of spices in your food then do go and try the food there. It used to be my mid day snack almost every day, and I still never miss a chance to go and grab a bite there whenever I am in town. And while we are still in Tallital market don’t forget to pick up a box of “Chocolate” from Anand Mishthan right down from Neeru’s. And yes you read correct, chocolate it is and that too at an Indian sweet shop. But it’s no ordinary chocolate, and I shall let you give the words to its taste. Its fancier version of sugar balls stuck to it called “Baal Mithai” is also quiet famous but all that sugar hides up the original taste for me.

Here is Bal Mithai

And Chocolate

Now let’s move on to the other side of town called Mallital. Here I have for you momo lovers an awesome place to eat called Sonum. This place is so famous that they have two places where they do business, one down at the flats and one shop right up around the flats area. They also make some awesomely delicious noodles kind of thing called “Thuppa” which you shouldn’t miss out on eating. Next up we have for the tea lovers like me, The Honey Hut. This place serves you with all-you-can-have honey with your tea. So you can admire the city’s beauty all you want while you sip your tea with pure honey bliss.

And finally ending the food journey with another treat for the sweet tooth in you is an awesome place called Sakley’s right next to flats, having orgasmic baked goods on the menu with good music playing in the background.

Sakley's had this tiny little Christmas tree and I had to take a photo of it.

4.      Pahadi food

You must be wondering, she just finished food and now there is another redundant food topic again. Well this is no common food, and if you happen to have a pahadi friend there, do not miss on the opportunity to load up on the stuff our household makes. Not everyone is familiar with the food on this particular menu, which is why I’ll give you some of the absolute must try dishes.

Starting off with Ras Bhaat, we have here a soupy mixture of a few pulses, boiled and the seeds removed to be eaten later on along with rice, and a special spinach dish called “Kapa”. So the full plate would have some rice, kapa (pronounced ka-pa), maybe a veg somewhere there and a bowl of ras. Thanks to pahadi cooks out on the internet I somehow managed to find a few photos for you guys.

Next comes Dubka Bhaat, which is nothing but a pahadi pulse crushed and boiled with nothing but a tempering of a spice called “Jambu”. My personal favorite is the dubka made of a pulse called “Bhat” which has its normal dal that is also made that is popularly called "Bhat ki Chudkani". You can match it up with another pahadi special veg called “Laai”, which is a green vegetable and might taste a little sour to you in the beginning but it is awesome.

This is how Bhat looks like

And to end with desserts we have here a very tasty treat called “Singal-Pue”, which are an obvious presence in a pahadi household on special occasions or if someone new is over at the house. Singal isn't anything different, its made of the same batter, its just that the shape is of a spiral.

5.      Miscellaneous

Since I can’t club these things into a single field I’m just going to spread them out here under miscellaneous. The town was settled by the British during their rule and the English signs are still visible throughout the town in a good way. Starting with the convents all around and famous celebrities having study stints there makes the town even more of a hip place. The most striking schools for me have always been the Birla’s residential school for boys, Birla Vidya Mandir, situated on top of the hill among the wilderness away from the towns hustle and St. Joseph’s College or popularly known among the town folks as SEM. The movie Koi Mil Gaya was shot at SEM for all the school scenes.

This is SEM as seen from Tiffin Top

While talking about the English signs, one cannot forget about the Nainital High Court on the slopes of China/Naina Peak in Mallital. It’s an absolute yes on the places to go list for it’s a must see building for its architecture of the British period and the lush green gardens that are spread in front of it.

Since you are in a town with a lake at such a height, I should not leave the boating extravaganza out of the blog. You’ll find peddle boats and row boats. Whichever you want is your pick and you can enjoy the lake and look at the town from a different view.

If you are into temples then there is a good old temple called Hanuman Garhi at a walking distance from the town.

For the shopping freaks out there Mall Road has got you covered. It’s not just a shopping hub but it’s a great place to walk as well. Lined up with beautiful trees along the way you won’t regret a thing walking down this road. And while shopping, you can never miss buying some candles and aroma oils.

Before ending I’d like to give you an awesome fact about Nainital that is, if you happen to come up the town from Haldwani at night, you’ll find out that the town lights make the shape of OM on the mountains as you progress towards the town, and since you are so high up with an awesomely clean environment the astronomy geeks and night sky lovers are going to have the time of their life. The night sky that you’ll get in town on a clear night is just magnificently breathtaking. Also when I asked in my childhood why it was called Nainital, the answer I got was that when Sati's body was falling all over the place, her eye fell here and that's how we got the Naini lake and the very popular temple called Nanda or Naina Devi from where every Navratra her "Dola" is carried all through the town, and hence the name Nainital. I don't know how solid this story is but who cares when the place is so gorgeous. So go out, and fall in love with this town like so many other people do and make your own memories there. Mine are still fresh of the old ageing house with every nook and cranny full of memories and my grandpa's stories. I am sure you’ll love it there.

A city called Rennes

I am re writing this blog again after having lost everything I wrote when I was halfway through, because I am an idiot who doesn’t know how to save things before you write them, so that when mishaps happen you don’t lose your shit and cry about spilled milk. Anyway, I'm going to try and make it sound as good as the previous draft was and hopefully you all will still like it. So continuing the Europe travel logs, let’s go to another lesser known city called Rennes. Also I didn’t go into full on photography mode while I was in the city, so I might not be able to give you much of a visual treat, but there will be some selfies here and there and a few shots of the city if I find some after digging up my albums. So here we go again.

1.      Walk

I love walking. There are people out there who also dearly love to walk.  As I was making the layout of this blog and the walk thing came up again, I thought that I should write a song about all the walking that I talk about and the chorus could go something like this,

Walk walk walk walk walk walk

You gotta do some walking walking walking

To get some sightseeing seeing seeing

Air air air air air air

Get some of that fresh air air air air air air

Feel that nice wind blowing up your hair

I know it sounds weird, but hey, WALK. Walk that city like you were meant to walk its streets. You never know what you’ll find walking around town. But one thing that  I can be certain of is that graffiti is always going to be one of the top things on that list of things you’ll find while walking around the streets.

2.      Les Champs Libre

If you translate it, you’ll get "The Free Fields". This is a gigantic library with a dedicated section for space science and a planetarium, which is within walking distance of the city’s railway station. So if you are put up in one of the hotels around the station, then make this the first stop of the day. The good news is that there is a bakery shop just down the street from the library that has the softest croissants I’ve ever had and you can shop all you want there. So all you are doing is basically just treating yourself to a sugary bliss and going on a shopping spree after a refreshing time at the library.

3.      Saint Helier

I somehow have a special connection with this church. The few days that I was there in the city, there wasn’t a single day I didn’t go to this church to just sit there all alone in the calming silence for hours thinking nothing but just being there. One afternoon got me walking in on a funeral service that was going on there and got me in a fix. I couldn’t just leave after walking in and my presence felt like an intrusion to their last moments with the departed. Somehow I made myself scarce and sat at the very end of the church seating and heard the members give their eulogies. Though they were all in French, I could feel their somber undertone. By the end of it I was asked to do something that I didn’t understand and didn’t feel like being a part of since I wasn’t family and not being a Catholic had no idea what it was and had a fear of doing something wrong which I didn't want happening. So I had to somehow very respectfully decline and give my condolence to the two men who came up to me. After the ceremony was over and they took the casket away, I sat there for another hour or so just taking in the flowers right in the center and the sunlight coming through the windows. It had a transcending glow that I didn’t find any other day. Maybe it was just my imagination playing with me, but it sure was a beautiful sight to behold. I'll let you be the judge of that.

4.      Chocolate and wine shopping

I don’t need to explain why you should not think and just do this. I’ll even tell you the place you can get some awesome mouth watering Belgian chocolates freshly made and you can get them wrapped as well. While you walk out of the Sainte Anne metro and walk around you’ll find Rue le Bastard with having Nicolas wine store along the way. And moving along the same street you’ll find Rue de l’Hermine by taking a right turn, where you’ll find the good old famous delicious Belgian chocolate makers, Leonidas. They are both within walking distance from each other and you can get some exploring done as well while on the way.

5.      Japanim

For all you manga and anime fans like me, Japanim is an absolute no questions asked stop. And the good news is that it is again within walking distance from Leonidas. It’ll barely take you ten minutes to walk there and then go nuts! I sure did. If anyone were to ask my friend who sadly had to company through my freak out of finding the shop will tell you how I became an eight year old and swooped through the entire shop like a kid on a treasure hunt. Sadly being on a student budget I had to curb my hunger by just feeling the mangas in my hand and looking at the prints on the t-shirts with price tags starting €24. But I sure got some photos where you see my elation showing very clearly and making me look weird. And yes I am a huge Naruto fan among other mangas but they didn't have them all and I didn't want to trouble my friend anymore than I was by taking a photo of everything that they had in the store so Naruto was all that I took a photo of.

6.      L’atelier de L’artiste

For all you wine lovers and who love a rustic and artistic interior, make sure you go to this bar to enjoy a glass of fine red wine with some good company and great vibes inside the place. It’s right next to Sainte Anne metro with not even a 1 minute walk from there. Just walk up the stairs, keep walking straight and you’ll find the place.

Rennes had more for me to explore but with no time left to do the exploring. I hope you people out there find more places to go and things to do than I did in my limited time there. Next time I’ll be back with another travel blog of one of my favorite of places and my hometown, Nainital. Au revoir et bonne soiree.

Exploring Nantes

You’ll find stuff about Paris, Cannes, Nice or even Marseille in a lot of travel blogs but not about the lesser known cities. One such place is the beautiful city called Nantes and like my Paris post here are a few things you can do to explore the city.

1.      Parc de la Chantrerie

Being a nature freak that I am, the number one thing on the list had to be the most beautiful and gigantic park I found wandering around the college campus area one evening. This place is so close to my heart that if someone were to tell me that they have an extra ticket to Nantes and if I’d like to go, my answer would always, no matter the time and the situation, be a huge YES, just because of the possibility of going to this park and lazing around on the wide grass fields, taking long walks through it and then just standing and watching the river flow. I assure you that you won’t regret going there. Pack a picnic and spread out your legs, feel the fresh air take away all the sorrow and the tension of the day. Watch Erdre flow and calm the unrest inside you. Or if you are an observer in silence kind of person, then you’ll have things from the soft rustling of the beautiful green lush around the park, to the animals from cows to horses, the ducks in the river and the people running, exercising, school baseball teams out practicing or a family out enjoying a nice picnic or just a small evening stroll, or the all time favorite, watching the sunset standing by the banks of Erdre. This park has a lot to give and explore, and if you happen to be there during fall, then I am sure you’ll be giving your eyes a colorful treat with all the changing colors of the leaves around you and the underlying coldness in the fall winds will make you smile for sure.

2.      Ride the public transport

I know here I am saying again after asking you to ride around the metro in Paris to ride around the public transport here as well. But trust me, those tram and bus rides will be worth the time invested. If you find joy in finding the small things in life like graffiti on the wall, then you most definitely should ride around the town in the trams and buses. For the graffiti in the photo below is one of my discoveries while riding around the town on Ligne 1 of TAN, or the line 1 of the city’s tramway. If you don’t want to spend the days buying tickets then get a booklet or better yet a 24 hours ticket and roam around hassle free with just one punch and nothing to do for the next 24 hours on either a tram or a bus. If someone comes to check, just show them the punch time and make sure it’s within the 24 hours time slot and you’re good to go.

3.      Walk around town

Walk, walk and walk. Any city needs to be explored with you walking its streets and finding the smallest things you can that fascinates you or something pretty among the chaos of the city that catches your eye, which you can’t find unless you’re on foot and go the corners of the city. I am a people observing person to some extent and I spent an entire evening just walking around the town listening to people talk, though it was all French going around me and I had no clue what they were talking about, but it was nice observing that every household is almost the same no matter where you are. You’ll find dads fixing up the basketball hoops, or washing the cars, the ladies tending to their flowers or sipping tea by the porch, and kids as always just running around and playing their hearts out. It’s the little things that make a house into a home, and no matter if you’re an observer or not, these small things will bring a smile on your face almost as a reflex.

4.      Go to the top of Tour Bretagne

Tour Bretagne is the third tallest building in France outside of Paris located in downtown Nantes. The roof is a popular hub for big parties, but other than that its open for people to visit and check out the view from the top since the tower dominates the city’s skyline and gives a great 360 view of the city be it in the day or the night.

5.      Ile de Nantes

Enclosed by the rivers flowing through the city, Ile de Nantes is always a fun place to be and you’ll always find people there with Les Machines being the center of attraction on the isle. Why you ask? Well because of the giant mechanical elephant they have on display there that moves around the area. Moving along the isle you’ll find the famous neon rings and the happening pubs of the city to enjoy a night out with friends dancing it out on the awesome club music you’ll find there.

6.      Buck Mulligan’s

Want some awesome music not just of the pub’s sound system but live music playing with a rustic Irish look and a sweetheart of an owner with some Irish drinks? Then this is the place to be. Even if you aren’t a fan of drinking but love some bagpipes, guitars and flutes making awesome music around you, then you definitely should go to Buck Mulligan’s. Don’t believe the things I am promising you’ll find there? I got real sweet recordings for you guys from the pub one night with people making awesome music, check it out and then decide for yourself if the vibes are good or not.

     

     7.      LASER TAG

     Why it’s in caps shouldn’t be a wonder. I mean who doesn’t love laser tag? Or being a stupid vengeful kid again? Or being super competitive trying to “laser” the opposite team? People love laser tag, period. And Nantes has just the place for you to “laser” people all you want, either alone or with a huge party. I had my friends over one weekend and we played till our clothes were drenched in sweat and we were out of breath, which was followed by three rounds of air hockey. Basically we went bonkers and played like little kids all afternoon at Zone Laser Games near Ile de Nantes. Have a big gang and nothing to do on the weekend? Go there and laser people up. It’s not a huge place, but you’ll surely have fun and curse a lot when your vest vibrates because someone got you good. Oh and here are some cool names we got while playing (Sniper and Yoshi).

8.      Chateau des ducs de Bretagne and Passage Pommeraye

The castle of Bretagne is a beautiful place for a picnic during a nice fall day and you can end the day there by the light show that happened every night on the walls of the castle. It is a beautiful sight with all the light play and the people walking around the castle. And right outside the castle entrance, you’ll find Princess Anne looking over the castle. The second name there, Passage Pommeraye for me is an architectural landmark of the city. That market is so awesomely constructed that you won’t even realize how many floors you passed through until someone asks you, “hey, any idea which floor we were at and are now?” And that place is so fancy with large stairs and shiny shops all around you. Don’t even think about not going there because you will regret it. You’ll even find the endless mirror positioning along the paths like we did.

            9.      Churches

I love churches. There must be some of you out there who love churches just as much as I do. Well then I have good news for you. There are beautiful churches there and if there is a cemetery fan somewhere out there like me who at times has been called a weird freak for finding solace in a cemetery then you should definitely go to Nantes and visit the churches and find a beautiful cemetery attached to it. I apologize for not remembering the church, I am still feeling so sad about forgetting it but that cemetery was so beautiful that I still remember it as if I were standing there, even some of the graves (I know I sound totally creepy). You’ll find an entire family buried there, a nameless soldier, kids who couldn’t live to see the beauty of life around them and if someone’s been by then you might just find fresh flowers on some graves. Even if you aren’t into praying just go see the beautiful architecture, the stories those old walls and pillars have to say, the whispers of the cracks they bear, the gentle croons of the candles that burn with the hopes of people who light them, or just the calming silence of the church. Sit there, relax, think, or just close your eyes and be there in the moment. No one is going to disturb you, no one will ask you to leave, or ask you to pray. Just sit there with you, yourself and your thoughts or better yet don’t bring any thoughts just be with yourself. For me a church is the second best place after nature to be in solace, and I know some of you will agree with me.

There are probably so many places I am missing here but hey, you guys can go out there explore more and come back here to tell me if you like. It will just add more places to go when I am back in the city. So go out and get exploring, and I hope you make even happier memories than I have of that city.

A few things to do when in Paris

I'm guessing most of you after reading the title would be thinking, "Oh great, another sappy romantic dose of places or things in Paris crap", but I promise this has nothing to do with romance at all. Yes, you read right. The city being called the City of Love can be explored with no lovey dovey routine involved whatsoever. So without any further ado, lets jump onto a few things you can do when in Paris.

1.      The Bakeries

I don’t even have to say why this is on top of the list. When in Paris no one can ever say no to anything that comes out of the ovens in those bakeries. Except if you are diabetic. The French will never disappoint you when it comes to baked goods. Be it the tiny little macarons or the good old pain au chocolat, you’re sure to be in dessert heaven with all those sugary orgasmic delicacies causing an explosion of satisfaction in your mouth.

2.      Walk around

Walking around the city will give you a view that you won’t get in a tour guide scheduled exploration of Paris. Go take a stroll around Place de la Concord, the largest square in the French capital and make sure you go to Jardin des Tuileries.

Sit around the small pond and enjoy a nice evening watching the sun set and the sky throwing colors behind the Eiffel and indulge your inner child to a carousel ride in the garden. I took this photo in the garden and the view was magnificent; the lens couldn’t do justice to all the colors.

Another good place to enjoy a walk is Notre Dame. If you are lucky you’ll find some people doing stunts on skates like I did (check them out in the following link), and if you are hungry you can always pick up a sub from the Subway near the cathedral.

Awesome skaters near Notre Dame one Halloween night in Paris

Moving on from Notre Dame you can always walk along the banks of Seine and marvel on the beauty of the cathedral and look over the lock bridges with all the love dangling over the river, locked in those locks of love or artists on the street sides with beautiful sketches and paintings of the city for sale. The city in the night is a beautiful sight to see with the river reflecting the city lights.

3.      Ride around the city

Since I mentioned walking around the city, I cannot keep riding around out of this list. You’ll find the city’s bicycle sharing service Vélib’ very handy with bike stands spread almost everywhere around the city and easy to issue DIY card services along the stands.

While I was in the city I rode almost 30 kilometers around the city to go see one of the 7 wonders of the world the city hosts; and let me tell you, nothing beats the feel of the wind while riding around the city with autumn winds getting ready to sway those graying leaves of the trees.

4.      Riding around in the subway

Yes it sounds stupid to be riding around in the subway, but Paris metro is something to be experienced. You’ll not just find way too polite people holding the door for you, which let’s just say is a wonderful gesture of French people; or hearing people say thank you just for holding the door open for them (I heard more thank you in the subway in one day than I had heard all my life, another gesture you’ll experience), you’ll find awesome graffiti all over those tunnel walls. How people go on those tracks in the dark and draw awesome stuff is beyond me, but it sure isn’t something I am used to seeing every day.

5.      Disneyland Paris

Just the mention of this place brings a huge smile on everyone’s face. For it’s a place full of happiness and magical rides that even the adults enjoy. Being in Paris and missing out on going to Disneyland is like taking a pass to possibly the best day spent in your life watching the Disney parade and all those rides. The roller coasters with those 360 degrees turns are sure to not just turn you upside down but your sour and depressed mood as well.

6.      Climb one of the seven wonders of the world

Not forgetting the Eiffel, go climb it and feel like being on top of the world and discover how many scientists made it on that giant tower (the three Ls of math world Lagrange, Laplace and Legendre are a few to name). The city looks amazing from up there with the river flowing through it like a serpent cutting through.

Do wait till sundown for the light show and break the cliché of romantic kissing photos in front of the Eiffel by taking a bad ass photo of your silhouette with the tower in the background.

There are probably a lot more places to explore in the city that I didn’t cover which you can explore on your own and make awesome memories to look back to. So go out, explore that city people talk so much of being all about love and prove them wrong. Make memories, eat French cuisine, go places no one ever tells you to go to in all these blogs about travelling. The city has so much more to offer than just a love stop for couples. It’s you who can find out what it has to offer and take it all with you and keep it fresh in your memory palace to revisit anytime.

Remember Me

A life, a story

A journey, a memory

The imprints of the existence

Do they fade away with the presence?

A friend, a foe

A love in its flow

Pieces of the game

Do they vanish just the same?

The days, the nights

Do they just go by like a flight?

The trust, the faith

Is it all fake?

If I did live by

If I made you cry

Remember me

If I did come in handy

If I ever made you happy

Remember me

If I was a beloved

If I cherished and protected

Remember me

If I was your confidant

If I was your descant

Remember me

The Unknown

In this preoccupied world

Beneath the undying azure

Exists a soul, being sold

Digging a hole

With nowhere to go

Raging, waging its own war

Shackled and torn

Nothing but a shadow

Bound by an unruly vow

With no meaning to life

From remorse to strife

Dried up, lost in the profundity

Cries, oh thou All Mighty

Buy me a new soul or let me through the door

To break free, free of the chains supreme

Unnoticed you live and disappear

For you're a shade and easy to ignore