Paris, France - July 31, 2004
Made it to Paris. I dont know if its just my mood or feeling or whatever, but somewhat of a disappointment. Just another big large city with typical restaurants but extremely overpriced. I made it to the Eiffel Tower (which is one of the big dreams to see), but once again another huge disappointment. Typically touristic and not even much of a site of anything at all. Just massive amounts of people to see a somewhat small and unimpressive structure. I dont know how a touristic culture developed from around the world to want to go and see the thing. Its much better viewed through reading literature or within film then actually seeing face-to-face. Perhaps if Id been with some romantic lover it would have been different, but you can have a million various memories of much better or worse or otherwise interesting backgrounds for the real things that happen in your life. Ill admit that the subways were alright though, but just typical big city stuff without much variation from any other subway system in the world. Its not that it has to be special or anything else, its just hyped up that way by who knows what to make it seem like it might be before you actually see the place.
My last comment about France.. everyone uncomfortably smokes cigarettes no matter how awkward or strange or dramatic-like they are acting while doing it. My lasting impression at the airport was there was just way too many people (particularly young people) trying to smoke cigarettes for image factors, yet seemed to have absolutely no concept on how to hold a cigarette let alone how to smoke one. Kind of reminded me non-smoking actors having to smoke in a scene but being overly dramatic about it and almost making the cigarette their existance then their own existance being their existance. Anyhow, that was my one day view of Paris.
Next Journal Entry in Italy:
August 1, 2004
You can email me at:
Wintermoon2@yahoo.com