On our way back from Cairo, Egypt, my mom and I stopped briefly in Paris, France. This is my second time in Paris and my first time covering the same non-American city from different visits on the blog. This is what I live for - getting the experience to travel to multiple places at various stages in my life and having new perspectives to write about. Last, I visited with my sister and then-boyfriend for a couple of days but this time I visited with my mom for a couple of hours. We didn’t revisit the same sites I saw last time but we ran around Paris making the most of our time.
We stopped off at a quick place to eat and stroll through some parks. The sun shone brightly that day, unlike the light yet highly dedicated drizzle that continued all day every day during trip of 2012. Regardless, many people were still out and about on both days, enjoying fresh Parisian sun. The outstanding parks and jardins were highly accessible by public transportation and did not disappoint. In some sections, an imminent silence would fill the space save for the gravel crunching by our feet. As we walked along lightly dusted paths, we were surprised to find that the trees groomed for sight lines suddenly became unruly and tangled. Of course, not every tree canopy in the city can be groomed to the point; the appearance would become extremely peculiar. But the specific design is iconic of Paris and poses as wayfinding and identity for the city. We have always seen these lines in photographs and have heard about that history from educators. With this temporary extraction from expectations and a sudden movement into a new environment, we no longer feel placed in what we remember of Paris - truly a perfect example of displacement and the thin line between strictly urban and forest.
As soon as we disappeared into another world, our paths became shadowed by hovering wild green of unnaturally naturally shaped canopies that forked into 2, 3, 4 and many more different paths. Upon encountering this abrupt disorder, we were allowed to wander and mosey about without a destination at hand felt surprising and light in the city of Paris. We were given an opportunity to flaunt aimlessly through the park without focus and direction, which was a surreal and enjoyable detour intended for decompression before bursting back out into the real world and in our case, before a long flight back home. Among the strict hustle and bustle of a city, these pocket parks (parcs?) and jardins made the perfect sanctuary for restful minds and souls. Next time a layover is in your future, pick Paris and visit Jardin du Luxembourg and Jardin des Plantes. Find comfort among beauty within Europe and respect the scenery. Even if there isn’t an iconic structure at the end of the tunnel, the landscape is always watching and hopes for protection to preserve the environment. Thank you to Paris, the urban designers and landscape architects who have created these amazing and timeless memorable spaces.