To the new beginnings!

New beginnings are never ending as things are ever-changing. Changes never come alone and they carry a baggage of adjustments and things to wonder about. How much so ever you try, a circumstantial change would bring a change within your inner self. For instance, I could never imagine seeing a cube or a slice of cheese in my fridge but 7 weeks into the Parisian life, I have 3 varieties of cheese, at least, in the refrigerator at any point! Moreover, the practice of keeping processed bread in my kitchen is getting obsolete by replacing it with fresh, crunchy and warm baguettes :-)

Living like a Parisian is no easy job to be utterly honest, specially if you can't speak French. Turning deaf ears to the only language that you keep hearing all the time is a massive task! Even if the words seem similar to read and understand, it is entirely different when someone pronounces it especially when it is spoken at such a rapid rate like how the French speak. People say that I would get a hang of it and would eventually be able to unlock this mysterious yet beautiful language. For now, I am at a complete loss to even communicate with a handyman or any customer care center for that matter! Having said that, without any doubt, more and more French diction is being added to my limbic system and by far I am able to follow the tweets of Emmanuel Macron (with a bit of Google Translate of course!) ;-)

Two not-so-popular things about France - things move slowly here and people don't work as long (even in private organizations) - are world renowned. However, it was astonishing to see how you could be completely fed up with such slow processes in spite of being fully prepared. And to my amazement, it is not entirely true about minimal hours at work - I have seen people in my team (a private firm) slogging till mid night at a stretch for days. So France could surprise you after all ;-)

Barring the usual language issues and snail-paced-process culture (or no process at all, my goodness!), France is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It is one of those countries which invests heavily to preserve its rich history. Architecture in central Paris and else where in France gives you a feeling of walking through the medieval times. Trust me, this is much more prominent than what I had experienced in the UK! (personal opinion)

Louvre ceiling 1

Louvre ceiling 2

Louvre ceiling 3

Dinner at a Michelin guide restaurant in Paris

French food is absolutely delicious, small portions but rich with flavors. The variety and creativity with food is endless. My husband and I were watching Netflix's 'Chef's Table' and the common connection we found among the Chefs was that at some point in their lives they visited France to enrich their experience with gastronomy. Also, alcohol is cheaper in France with high quality wines, apertifs, burgundy (pinot noir, chardonnay etc.), Interesting point to note is that Scotch is cheaper in France than in Scotland!

Gent

Although London is (or was?) very much part of Europe, Paris is more convenient to traverse across Europe, especially the western part of mainland Europe. We went to Gent recently, a beautiful Dutch town in the northern part of Belgium. It took about 2.5 hours to reach the place from Paris with a change in Lille. You will know that you are part of a non-French Europe when someone comfortably greets you with a 'hello' :-). It is also very comfortable to travel to the adjoining countries (even by road) such as Spain, Italy, The Netherlands, Switzerland etc.

Lastly, I have now gathered some mental peace to think beyond Eurostar every weekend (Londres to Paris) and to catch up on some customary yet delightful habits such as cooking, blogging, reading, visiting local stores, gardens etc. Past few weeks, I have definitely tried my hand at many cooking recipes as can be seen below :-)

Hyderabadi Spicy Tomato Egg curry

Cavatappi and sausages

Chicken Liver fry

Bread Pakoda

Despite the differences, France offers an opportunity to experience very distinctive features about its rich hallmarks - be it the language, food, wine, mannerisms or fashion. Personally, I see the French connection as a gateway to embrace the magnificent European character. And it is definitely exciting to learn the exclusive traditions that each country has to offer!! :-) :-)

The best thing I know between France and England is the sea!

- Douglas William Jerrold