Over the last two months I have had the most amazing time of my life here in France. I have travelled on trains, planes and automobiles across the French countryside looking for a bed and breakfast to buy. I have been able to catch up with my dear Parisian friends who I never seem to see enough. I have made some incredible new friends as well and am very excited to have their friendship. I discovered my love for espresso, and I might be an addict at this point. I was able to fend off becoming a smoker, one because it’s disgusting and stinky but two because with my Afrezza inhalable insulin it might give me lung cancer. I have been able to go to all of my favorite spots, The Marais, the Pantheon, the Louvre. And I discovered some new places that I absolutely adore. I have had many delicious French cuisines, and also local kababs, pizza, and hotdogs. The book shops, the christmas markets, the way people snuggle up next to their loved ones while walking down the street. I have walked an average of 30,000 steps daily, and have seen more of Paris at night than most local Parisians, I would suspect.
The first month I stayed in a nice apartment on Rue Oberkampf in the 11th arrondissement, a lively street with amazing restaurants and bars, and just a block away from the Edith Piaf museum. The second month I stayed 500 feet from the Musée Rodin in the 7th arrondissement, in a building built 3 years before the French Revolution. As I have said before, it is the quintessential Parisian apartment. For my last 4 nights in town however, I am staying in an apartment with bunk beds, something akin to a hostel, but a little nicer. It is located near République in the 10th arrondissement, so it’s a fantastic location.
Now I am up, at 4am having a café (espresso) at the Café République and thinking about the last two months. Although my usual method of travel has been walking, the times that I took the metro I was always pleasantly surprised. The stations are clean, the trains run frequently and efficiently and each station has a sign that informs you how many minutes until the next train arrives. I have met so many great people on this trip, very friendly and warm. I have seen dozens of houses, hotels and bed & breakfasts over the last 8 weeks, I have also seen about 50 apartments in the city of Paris. Some of these places just weren’t right for me, but each and every one had its own unique charm. I have taken thousands of photos on this trip and have created a dedicated page to Paris in Autumn here, if you want to view them. I will be adding to this page frequently, so if you are looking for a photo of something specific but didn’t see it, check back in a week.
Being in a city like Paris keeps my head spinning thinking about all of the history a place like this has seen. Marriages, deaths, exiles, imprisonments, public executions, protests, the royalty, the poverty, the artists, the lost souls, and the people living their every day lives. The art and the architecture make up so much of the city, but it’s the story that goes along with it that really captivates me. I think that is perhaps why I enjoy walking around Paris at night. More time to think and reflect on the history of this great city. I have never had a boyfriend with me in Paris, but I have never felt alone or single. I feel my love of this city is equally returned to me. I appreciate her, and she appreciates me.
My flight leaves in 16 hours and I should be trying to get some sleep. Unfortunately, there are 5 girls sleeping in the place I’m at and each one of them snores. One sounds like she’s sawing logs, she’s from China. One sounds like a bird chirping, she’s from Italy, two of them sound like they are asthmatic and fighting for air, one is from Canada, the other is also from Italy. And the last one sounds like a semi-truck driving on a highway, she’s from Peru. The walls are literally shaking in the room. If I wasn’t gay before this, I tell ya. So, to answer your question, that’s why I’m having a delicious double espresso at 4AM before my flight. Let’s hope I can sleep on the plane ride back.
Merci Paris de m’avoir accueilli si chaleureusement dans votre étreinte. And thank you reader for joining me in my adventure. ❤🇫🇷
Kevin Nicholas Gavit 