Paris was not as intense as I had imagined it to be. I have never understood how to explain it but inspite of being the embodiment of a beautiful poem by a poet who has had the perfect amount of suffering, happiness, love, longing, torture in his life, Paris, for me, needed to be more. I wanted more. I had hoped for more. It had the capacity to make me feel pretty naked in my defense towards life but like I said, somehow, the whole experience was just a bit hollow. Each and every building asked for its soul. I was comforted by a new friendship with a fellow backpacker during the first half of my time there and Leonard Cohen in a lovely bookshop and thoughts of a very lovely boy in the second half. There is a reason why I am rambling today about this. Just read this piece on Flavorwire about what these lovely people have to say about monumental Paris and I kind of feel jealous that those emotions evaded me.
Mumbai is resplendent right now. Glistening leaves. Colorful umbrellas. Hard-working chaiwallas with their little stalls and sharp beautiful steam coming out of their aluminium almost-rusted kettles. The sound of the rain. The sights. The clattering sound on the tin rooftops at various places. The raindrops hugging the taxi or the car windows. Old silly Hindi songs on my radio while on my way to work. Schoolchildren jumping into filthy puddles. If this is not the moment to be fully alive then I don't know what is.
Most of my close friends hate the rainy season in Mumbai- gloom, muck, traffic congestion, train wrecks and much more. But for me, Mumbai becomes tolerable because of the rain. I can ignore all of these only in the rainy season. I can forgive Mumbai for a lot of things during rains. It feels like the old Mumbai where I arrived eight years ago and for the first time ever probably in my life, felt something akin to my home (which I don't feel any longer). Anyhow. If you want to catch me during my best mood in Mumbai, you should meet me during the rains.
Madrid is very close to my heart for more than one reason. But probably the biggest reason is the happiness that is embalmed over the entire city. It feels like a beautiful parade that I want to be a part of. Carnival. (Which a dear friend of mine jokes is just the effects of alcohol). Obviously, there are many many layers to Madrid below this layer of happiness but the city just feels so accepting. Like it is calling you out, with personalization et al. The music is throbbing with love. So is the art everywhere. It has all the makings of any European city- the romantic facades, wine flowing at every corner, cafes trickling down to the cobblestone road, but there is so so so much more to Madrid. Madrid is probably the only city out of the three big cities I went to last year which, even for a second, did not make me feel like a tourist. BTW, just stumbled upon this beautiful piece on 'Madrid through a local's lens'.
London is a man that I have always dreamt of. There is something amazingly unabashed about London, which I know with hundred percent certainty in my heart even though I have never been to the city ever. I have a trip coming up to London soon. (Hoping the sweet and amazing and lovely Visa people give me my visa soon). London is and will be quite special, again, for more reasons than one. I just hope London turns out as gallant, chivalrous and charming as I have imagined it to be!
Mumbai is resplendent right now. Glistening leaves. Colorful umbrellas. Hard-working chaiwallas with their little stalls and sharp beautiful steam coming out of their aluminium almost-rusted kettles. The sound of the rain. The sights. The clattering sound on the tin rooftops at various places. The raindrops hugging the taxi or the car windows. Old silly Hindi songs on my radio while on my way to work. Schoolchildren jumping into filthy puddles. If this is not the moment to be fully alive then I don't know what is.
Most of my close friends hate the rainy season in Mumbai- gloom, muck, traffic congestion, train wrecks and much more. But for me, Mumbai becomes tolerable because of the rain. I can ignore all of these only in the rainy season. I can forgive Mumbai for a lot of things during rains. It feels like the old Mumbai where I arrived eight years ago and for the first time ever probably in my life, felt something akin to my home (which I don't feel any longer). Anyhow. If you want to catch me during my best mood in Mumbai, you should meet me during the rains.
Madrid is very close to my heart for more than one reason. But probably the biggest reason is the happiness that is embalmed over the entire city. It feels like a beautiful parade that I want to be a part of. Carnival. (Which a dear friend of mine jokes is just the effects of alcohol). Obviously, there are many many layers to Madrid below this layer of happiness but the city just feels so accepting. Like it is calling you out, with personalization et al. The music is throbbing with love. So is the art everywhere. It has all the makings of any European city- the romantic facades, wine flowing at every corner, cafes trickling down to the cobblestone road, but there is so so so much more to Madrid. Madrid is probably the only city out of the three big cities I went to last year which, even for a second, did not make me feel like a tourist. BTW, just stumbled upon this beautiful piece on 'Madrid through a local's lens'.
London is a man that I have always dreamt of. There is something amazingly unabashed about London, which I know with hundred percent certainty in my heart even though I have never been to the city ever. I have a trip coming up to London soon. (Hoping the sweet and amazing and lovely Visa people give me my visa soon). London is and will be quite special, again, for more reasons than one. I just hope London turns out as gallant, chivalrous and charming as I have imagined it to be!
No comments:
Post a Comment