Je t'aime Paris

   

   

As I walked down boulevard Gouvion St-Cyr, I couldn't help but smile. The familiar brasserie, the corner Tabac, the beautiful-lit streets, the Ferrari showroom (the F430 Spider taunts me everytime) beneath Yannicque's apartment, the ubiquitious Franprix... Why o why do I always return to Paris, the city where hearts often get broken?

Some of the reasons:
Monuments of Paris: Pictures say a thousand words.

Yannicque (Leila): My French sister whom I used to share an apartment with in the 17ieme arrondisment; with whom I shared many nights drinking tea and talking about politics, religion, love & life.
Marwan & Tijane: Yannicque's wonderful kids who let me practise my 'parenting' & babysiting skills. Precocious and adorable. I will take care of them anytime...
Sciences-Po Paris (ScPo): The university where Jacques Chirac, Dominicque Strauss-Kahn (DSK) & yours truly studied in. ScPo ignited my passion for learning and made me believe that nothing is impossible. Psst, did you know DSK contested for the French presidential election... but he lost. Quel dommage!
Dr (soon-to-be) Thomas Richard: Intelligent & kind classmate at ScPo qui etait mon bonheur a Paris; with whom I spent time studying and walking down the streets of Paris & Versailles. May he find love again...
Rachid - Performing the Hajj right now in Makkah. Alhamdulillah!
Marie-Christine - How can I forget your blind date with Dr Shahrul in London :p
Sebastien - Boleh? Boleh! Why did you move to Toulouse?
Camille - My beautiful ScPo friend... oh how we struggled during Econs lecture!
Etienne - The wrong Etienne who responded to my email but hey look how that turns out!
Amelie & Fabian - Paris is not the same sans toi :(
Dr Alain-Pierre Manine - I had a great 'blind date' with you! *wink... Thanks for cooking delicious Indian curry & making mint tea in the authentic Morrocan style
Anne-Cecile - The only girl I knew who rides a bicycle through the streets of Paris
Aurelien - Where are you, Tariq?
Dr (soon-to-be) Emmanuel Ruze - Whose kitchen in Versailles was our meeting point...
Dr (soon-to-be) Wassim Abou-Jaoude - Emril's Imperial College classmate. What a small world! Ah oui...'un de perdu, dix de retrouver'

Parting thoughts:
I never thought I'll say this but I miss writing Economics & Political Science essays in French! Give me those difficult books anytime...
Walking... just walking down the streets of Paris can be just as thrilling as the passionate French kiss.
I'm in love with the Harp. I want to play beautiful music for my future husband and lull him to sleep...

Ah Paris, I miss you already....