Parisian Sundays

Oh Paris, I'm amazed by how you can be so gloomy yet vibrant at the same time. As dark as the days go, there's still so much energy and enthusiasm from the people living within you.

Penguin and I took a stroll down from the 1st arrondissement to the 6th on foot to get a feel of the whole city like a local would on what I assume is a typical Parisian Sunday. Shops are closed almost everywhere, and very little establishments would be open for service. From what I hear it's because Sunday is family day. And so contrary to what you would expect the streets to be empty, people are nevertheless everywhere. Families, friends; kids playing with other kids, bursting bubbles as the bubble-man blew masses of bubbles in the air while parents enjoyed a cup of coffee at a nearby cafe; street performers in turn to entertain the onlookers and on-goers. For someone who practices and values the importance of quality time with loved ones specially on Sundays, I appreciated Paris and the European culture for that matter, even more. I like the idea of everybody in agreement to put aside everything for a day to appreciate the people around them. And so even for me, having to share this experience with Penguin is priceless.

Photos by Pierre Elma and yours truly