Paris: romantic-melancholic mood

On a day like today I wish I was in Paris. I don’t know how to explain my romantic-melancholic mood, but I wish I was there, wandering through narrow streets of this old European city. See Paris and Die, they say. I saw it three times already and want more. For me Paris is and always will be very special, as we spent many happy and funny moments there with my dear friends Tonya, Lena and Marina.

The photo below wasn’t taken by me, but my old friend Tonia, better known as Riccio. All I did was change the color set. Riccio does great photos and videos too. She took this photo from the upper part of one of the facades of the Notre Dame Cathedral, known as the spiritual heart of the French capital. In case you didn’t know, Notre Dame is also a shrine that preserves the Crown of Thorns, said to have been forced upon the head of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion. Interesting fact: Victor Hugo wrote his 1831 novel "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" with the aim of raising appreciation of Notre Dame Cathedral, which at the time was in a state of disrepair, and its Gothic architectural style was considered vulgar.

The photo pictures Notre Dame’s forecourt, the Seine and the incredibly beautiful architecture of Parisian buildings. Note, if you are in Paris for Christmas, make sure to stop by Notre Dame. They always put a huge Christmas tree (more than 20 feet high) covered with lights and embellished with beautiful decorations in front of the Cathedral.

After such a pleasant virtual trip to Paris, it’s time to return to Miami, where cold weather found its second home. Happy Friday to all!