I miss Paris...

 A collage of some of the photos I took in Paris

I guess it's natural for people to fall in love with vacation destinations. For a start, they're feeling relaxed as they're on holidays. Secondly, it's something different from the norm. I've always wanted to go to Paris but was never exactly sure why. I guess I sensed that it was an amazing, creative place. Upon going there, I discovered that it is not merely creative but has a certain magic about it. Sure, there were some pickpockets, opportunists etc. roaming around in different areas but the general essence of the place was extremely unique. Yes, I am possibly going out on a limb, having only spent two weeks there, but there were certain things I observed about that huge city which made it remarkable in my eyes:

1) The People. The people are amazing and make the place what it is. I love the way that French people speak at a normal volume, in a very a pleasant, almost demure, way. I also found them to be incredibly helpful and polite (bar the odd, jaded employee at busy tourist spots). Overall, I found Parisians to be very friendly and creative people. From what I observed, they do frown upon loud, obnoxious types, but politeness and appreciation goes a long way in Paris.

2) The Environment. The city has an wonderful balance between the natural and made environments. For a large city, it is also generally kept spotless. Yes, I realise that the amount of money coming into that place is astronomical, but a lot appears to be spent on keeping the city looking beautiful for the local residents as well as the many 'out-of-towners' who trawl around the place at any one time.

3) The Metro. I just love the design of the city and the Metro system is the fastest, most convenient way to get around. I had a special weekly ticket which allowed me as many trips a day as I wanted. Sometimes attractions were closed, so it didn't take long to jump on the Metro and visit another one. Even when using the Metro, there is still a lot of walking to get to actual sites. It was great to see so much of Paris this way.

4) The Sites. Paris has some wonderfully unique attractions such as the catacombs and beautifully maintained cemeteries. What I love most is the accessibility of all of the attractions. The entry prices are very reasonable and do not exclude the average person from experiencing them. There is a certain freedom one feels in Paris. Despite the hoards of tourists, the sites are still authentic and not bogged down by OH&S signage etc. I found this refreshing for such a busy city.

5) The Art. Although not a particularly 'crafty' place, Paris is very arty when it comes to traditional art forms such painting, sculpture and drawing. I observed sketch classes taking place wherever I went (such as in the Botanical Gardens), walked through to a sculpture exhibition in the middle of a town square, and saw painters in action in Montmartre and in art galleries. Many people valued sketching and painting as a leisure pursuit, which seems rather rare here in Australia. I somehow felt that I fit into the place, a place which highly values creative expression and the importance of diverse visual interpretations.

Getting Creative with Lite n' Easy

This post has absolutely nothing to do with cards or craft, I just felt like sharing :) If you find that you need to eat your Lite n' Easy microwave dinner during the day, you can still come home to a decent feed. Here's how:

Yesterday, my lunch item was the Roast Chicken Tender and Mayonnaise on a Round Roll. I chose to eat this at dinnertime instead as I needed something a little more hearty during the day to get me by.

I made this small bun into a decent meal by slicing it into four pieces:

Then I dug out some cheese I had left over from another meal. I have always loved cheese but have purposely never allowed myself to indulge in it (throughout my entire life). Then I sliced up the rest of a tomato I was supplied with the week's food (nothing goes to waste!):

I defrosted the frozen chicken tender in the microwave as per the instructions and sliced it into smaller pieces:

 

Then I cranked up the sandwich maker and started assembling my mini meal. Don't forget to use the mayonnaise provided and spread it onto each of your four slices. Place your slices 'mayonnaise-down' at the top, of course. I always use foil to line the sandwich maker so there is no mess should some of cheese ooze out etc.:

And voila! Two tasty little toasted sandwiches made out of left-over ingredients (all part of my weekly food allocation). Once slightly cooled, I cut each one in half and enjoyed every morsel! It took forever to eat these toasted sandwich halves as opposed to one small chicken and mayo roll. If you think this was a helpful idea, please feel free to add a comment below.