A Merry Cam In Paris

First trip to Paris. Eurostar from London by day. Welcomed by thieves trying to hustle me in their French language while one of them navigated to my rear, good luck. On the way to the hotel, I made a conclusion: Parisians are filthy, pretty much like Manilenos who wouldn't put their trash in a bin that's two feet away but rather would drop it on to the street.

The Isle de Cite is clean, though. And easily, because much of Parisian fine culture comes from within, and the banks across, the island.

If you're not educated with the paintings and sculpture, follow my route: enter the Louvre and find the elevator on the right, before the stairs to the sculptures, alight at the first level (which is the topmost) and move to the next "salle" where the Mona Lisa is displayed in a bright room, protected by a space age glass sol it doesn't fade.

We took a boat from the Eiffel Tower to the other end of the island and back, which was an efficient way to see Paris at a glance. Of course, the landmarks and all their histories were interesting but more significant to me was the local color, like the riverside rhumba park just past Sorbonne, where the dancing went on and on.

The downside with visiting Paris in the summer is the influx of tourists like me who were armed with their limited-zoom digital cameras that they blocked the view for others.

I'm not much for people as subjects in my pictures, so I am choosy with my shots. I won't claim them to be coffee table book material but they're good for nostalgia and stories to tell, like the two-century old chocolate store and the funny head at Luxembourg Garden.

They say Paris is the most romantic place in the world but somehow I didn't see that. I counted only four couples snogging over the three days I was there, and I wouldn't take their pictures, if you know what I mean.

Overall, I surmise that four days is enough to take in Paris, at my current state of being, before getting tired of it.

In reality, I'm happy with my photos. And I'd be willing to share my pictures and stories over wine or cappuccino, with Gershwin playing in the background. Maybe, by my camera, someone will fall in love with Paris!

Here's to you, George and Ira!

LOVE IS HERE IS STAY
It's very clear
Our love is here to stay
Not for a year
But ever and a day
The radio and the telephone
And the movies that we know
May just be passing fancies
And in time may go
But, oh my dear
Our love is here to stay
Together we're going a long, long way
In time, the Rockies may tumble
Gibraltar may crumble
They're only made of clay
But our love is here to stay