I did remember on a few similar mornings when I was walking along, not many people on the street, so it was a bit quiet and “dull” overall, there were always something drawn my attention simply a balcony, a window, a café chair, or an architectural moulding at the exterior of a building…which were highlighted by the beam of sun ray, every time, yes, every time I felt amazing, so joyful to meet “Ray”, it was a symbolic of a fresh start, I loved that feeling, the aroma of the warmth.
2022/01/01
Happiness is...
2021/12/25
Behind the "City Of Light"
click to enlarge image |
City of Light - another name of Paris, we usually think maybe this is related to the prosperity and prestige of the luxurious life style in this city; or at least we will link to the stunning night scene along Champs Élysée or light show at the Tower Eiffel, right?
But it actually represents the evolution period of having gas street lamp in the first large European City, in a massive scale, that light up most of the dark rue/ alley. The original idea of King Louis XIV who appointed lieutenant Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie to make Paris into a safe city, it was started by gas lanterns and candles then gradually gas street light, forming the “La Ville Lumière” or so call “Age of the Enlightenment” since 1829. I can imagine the excitement of Parisians when the lighting up of Rue de Rivoli, Place Vendôme, Place du Carrousel and other grand boulevards by almost 56000 gas lamps in 1860s.
In fact, there is also another meaning for “The Age of Enlightenment” which is very meaningful. From 17th to 18th Century, there was the intellectual & philosophical movement that dominated in European, people aware sovereignty of reason, the ideals of separation of church & state, of having a constitutional government, liberty, fraternity, equality…as well as the pursuit of happiness; that every mankind deserves. Hope for the future, become one of the core meaning, too.
The happening of all these new thoughts did relate to the emerged of philosophers, scientists, artists, literati who widely spread or discussed these ideas in café, salons or scientific academies…, etc; a truly flourishing moment, I shall say.
When I have finished my research, I know this book could mean more than only the scenery or a specific period in Paris, so I’ve decided to write for someone who need a spark of light, those who deserve to pursuit of their happiness as we do.
2021/12/10
Day to Night
We were in the 1st arrondissement, a bit quiet at around 2130, yellowish street lamps, light up artistic display in the window showcase of shops; yellowish pendants line up at the pillars next to the squares, café & restaurant covered in orange yellow sheer of light, fainted yellow lamps at the balconies/ windows of somewhere above; other color in green lit signage of the pharmacy, the lonely tri-color traffic lamp together with the “ever glow” gas lamp along the Seine…all under the deepest dark sky.
I am obsess, I know, another page I can write for what I’ve seen in the City of Light, because at that moment, they all belongs to me, the moment of imagination, the happenings under the light…I wish I can return some day, for another night adventure, another series dedicate to the City of Light.
Back to our walk, Li asked me whether I felt unsafe on the street at night right now, as she never felt that even walking alone at late night…well, I replied “I’m fine…” and after a while, we separated in the midpoint between her apartment & my hotel, and there was still another 20mins walk by myself.
2021/11/01
A Moveable Feast - Ernest Hemingway
A moveable Feast |
Second reading was in about 5 years ago, For Whom the Bell Tolls; I was deeply engaged into the following poem (old English version) before started :
“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” (excerpt)
I was originally thought this book will bring me to a lot of fascinated scenery or day to day life in Old Paris; but what I’ve found, like most of other readers, this book is more related to the life of Hemingway & his wife Hadley during those days in Paris; pieces of stories with his weird but interesting friends, or those lovely one like Sylvia Beach who gave a helping hands to numerous writers/ artists/ poets when they were no body once upon a time…
What the author actually let me discover is the world of a writer, why he must quit the journalist career to be a full time writer, what he’s actually thought when he was writing in the café, how & why he reacted to his weird friends…A new picture for me to know about Ernest Hemingway – a delicate person.
Like many others, I like to read fictions, they lead us to infinitive imaginations, anything can be happened and experienced. But recently, I started to enjoy reading non-fictions, by knowing more about the author, more resonance can be made while reading the story they’ve written.
As usual, I wish you may have a chance to read this book, too. There are a lot more phrases inside which are worth to read, here is the one which tells me why he said Paris is a Movable Feast that I couldn't agree more.
“…but this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very poor and very happy.”
2021/10/29
3+1 "好友?"
2021/10/22
Shore Wonderland