It has already been a month since I left Paris, and just over three weeks since I returned to Australia. Prolonged jet lag, persistent illness and, admittedly, just plain laziness, have prevented me from updating my blog. The experience is still fairly fresh in my mind, despite my 6 months in Berlin seeming like a dream. Just as I adored Rome, I took to Paris quickly. The city is beautiful, with an insane number of magnificent palaces and iconic landmarks, as well as the many ornate gardens and atmospheric side streets. The Pompidou Centre was a highlight, if you skip the contemporary section. The Musee d'Orsay is enormous and calls for several visits, I focused on the Impressionists and Neo-impressionists, which really just confirmed the fact that apart from a few exceptions I don't find these styles particularly compelling. My favourite bakery was Du Pain et des Idées, in the 10th, which served the most sensational Pain au Chocolat and Chausson aux pommes. My most notable meal was made up from a baguette, divine french butter and chunk of blue cheese, with a supermarket Bordeaux. Superb. The city is energetic and confident, and in my opinion, manages the large population well. Paris definitely has one of the best metro systems I have come across. Magnificent art, fascinating history and unforgettable food, clichés maybe, but all factors that make a second visit inevitable.
