Pandora rêve de Paris. (Pandora dreams of Paris).
Elle a dit qu’elle n'y reviendrait jamais sans partenaire. (She said she would never return there without a partner).
Mais, elle adore Paris. (But she loves Paris) Elle adore la Paris dans automne. (She adoress Paris in Autumn). Elle aime les feuilles sur le sentier (She loves the leaves on the footpath). Elle adore les couleurs de la ville, La Seine, le Metro, et les petits cafés avec les chaises en osier (She loves the little cafes with the wicker chairs).
Elle veut revenir. (She wants to return).
I've been to Paris twice.
Once in 1993, when I spent about a week there after leaving London for the first time. I remember roaming the streets with a Quebecoise girl whose English was as bad as my French. But we got on well, having met at the hostel at which we were both staying, and it was good to have somebody to roam the streets with.
The second time I was in Paris was in around 2001. I went with an old friend. He'd lived there before and found it all terribly boring. After the second day I said I'd go a wandering and I'd meet up with him for dinner. We did things at a different pace.
And I swore then and there that I would never return to Paris unless I was there for work or going with a partner.
But something else has been floated - the possibility of going over as a part of a group - a writer's retreat (read possible tax deductions) Five days in Paris, five days somewhere in the country - possibly Provence. I also have a friend in Brittany, up near Mont St Michel, which I have always wanted to visit. I've also got friends down near the Swiss border. I'm sure they might like a quick visit - maybe.
Anyway, I've been mulling this over since the idea of a writer's retreat in France was floated. I've been wanting to get back to Europe for a month or so - it's well overdue. Just the thought of having a base where there are some people to have dinner with at the end of the day - to see bits of the city I've missed on my two short visits (of which there is bucket loads). The thought of meandering around the Left Bank, or visiting Oscar Wilde at Le Pere Lachaise, or...
The Today Show was running a competition - flights and accommodation and spending money for a week in Paris.
I duly entered it. You never know - have to be in it to win it and all that. And in the meantime, I'll keep up with my daily online French lesson thanks to Duolingo.
In the meantime, I might see how I can make this writer's retreat happen. It's good to have a goal.
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