30-Day Solo Travel in Europe | Day 10: Rosé by the Canal: An Unexpected Parisian Evening
(Previous chapter of my journey: 30-Day Solo Travel in Europe | Day 9: From Monet's Water Lilies to Rodin's Gates of Hell)
I woke up feeling under the weather with fatigue washing over me like a tide. After staying on my bed until the last possible moment, I dragged myself to a nearby restaurant with decent reviews. Staring at the menu translated into rather gibberish English by Google, I decided to just randomly order a breakfast set called 'Le Royal'. I only realise that the restaurant served Moroccan cuisine when the dishes arrived. Not too bad but not quite to my taste.
After taking a long rest, I felt much better. During my time in Paris, I had connected with a Dutch girl from The Hague through Bumble BFF. We arranged to meet up for the first time at a restaurant along Canal St. Martin. But it turned out the place was so popular and no vacant seats available. So we just embrace life as it is, do as the Parisians do. We bought a bottle of rosé and some snacks from a supermarket, then sat down by the canal for our own impromptu picnic.
She's a content writer, here in Paris for a 'workcation'. Having lived in France briefly as a child, she speaks some French and was thrilled to be reliving some old sweet memories. Since I had just been in the Netherlands last week, we exchanged stories about our cultures of our countries and her experiences living in Paris. This unexpected evening turned into wonderful time spent with strangers.
I returned to my apartment around midnight, quickly washed up, and prepared for bed. I had to wake up early tomorrow for a day trip to Versailles. I'm feeling quite tired, so apologies for the shorter entry today. Yet, despite its brevity, it captured my authentic thoughts and emotions. Perhaps it's these imperfect days that make travelling feel most real, telling true stories that you never see on those glamorous Instagram posts.
Eugène Delacroix | Liberty Leading the People
Later, I visited the Louvre, with the ticket I booked through Klook in advance. Even on a Thursday, the museum was packed - truly living up to its reputation as a world-class institution. While I personally prefer the more leisure viewing experience of Dutch museums, there's no denying the quality of the collections here. Each hall housed masterpiece after masterpiece. Of course, the 'Mona Lisa' drew crowds that filled the entire hall of its own. I was content with just a glimpse from the distance. I would rather spend my time appreciating other works than queueing.
The weariness eventually got the better of me, and I decided to cut my visit short, skipping my original plan to visit Centre Pompidou and returning to my apartment to rest. On my way home, I passed several bakeries and patisseries and couldn't resist buying some beautiful pastries to enjoy later. Getting sick in a foreign country all by yourself is a good lesson teaching me how I should listen to my body's signals, and I chose to prioritise rest. I looked for a nearby pharmacy where I can buy vitamin C and throat lozenges, hoping to recover quickly for the days ahead.
Gabrielle d’Estrees and Her Sister, the Duchess of Villars
Jacques-Louis David｜Oath of the Horatii
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