The Witch in Paris




I found this magical building during my second walk to Notre-Dame and I wonder if a witch lives inside.
A middle-age-look-like witch, with white long hair and wearing beautiful lace dress. She's shy, a little bit moody, but she's really really nice and lovely. 
She would peek out from her window during days and found out that so many annoying tourists like me stealing pictures of her magical palace, but she could do nothing about it because she can not live with sunlight fall upon her. So, she let that happen as long as those people happy. 
Because she loves to see people smile. It makes her smile if she sees somebody else smiles.

After gazing down the people from her window, she usually just spend the day drinking a cup of hot tea and reading books of spells and myths. Oh, how she loves book!

Then later at night, she sneakily walk outside, get her broom with her and fly around Paris to give the city a little bit more magic, happiness and love.
The city should be more grateful to her, she's the reason why Paris has been called The City of Love.

On Paris

I can't explain how my life has been for the last one week, but it's been one of the greatest I could even dream of. Paris is indeed a beautiful, beautiful city.







I just realize that a week could really made me getting used to my surrounding and I let myself acted like a local (which sometimes seem too silly that I don't even speak their language). But, I finally broke that stereotype about how rude Parisians can be to a tourist who doesn't speak French;
For example, there was that day I was wandering all alone looking for my kind of heaven of earth in this planet earth which we all call The Shakespeare & Company bookstore. I didn't know that it is actually just right across the Notre-Dame, but I walked along The Seine and stopped dead around Saint-Martin and didn't know where to go anymore. So, I tried to read the map on the bus stop (Lesson 101: always bring your OWN map!) but I can't read that map, so I spent about 15 minutes thinking should I ask somebody or not.
I looked around and there were so many people walking here and there in a rush (Lesson 102: Parisians are always in a rush. But, Londoners too. Maybe it's just Indo people who walk like turtle. Brace yourself.) So, I was in doubt but I have to find this bookstore, then I spotted a guy. Jelas ganteng banget dan ngayal-ngayal sedikit kali aja nanti dari nanya arah jadi ngobrol terus jalan bareng terus kesengsem terus jatuh cinta terus menyusuri sungai Seine bareng terus yak ngayal aja terus. Anyway, Lesson 103: Lelaki-lelaki French itu different and uniquely super mega good-looking. So, finally, I asked a woman who I thought she would be okay if I ask away and I was totally right.
She smiled and she even took me to the holy bookstore (and we talked quite a lot during the way there) !!! :')

Shakespeare & Co is completely the real definition of heaven on earth. Oh Godness, who doesn't want to work here? With those endless stacks of old books, the piano upstairs, tall bookshelves and the stairs that you'll need to take the book at the uppershelves, not to forget mentioning the beautiful yet gergeous piles of new books and that you'll get that Shakespeare & Co stamps when you make a purchase. I just have to go back this friday.

(Lesson 104this bookstore is just one-stone throw away from Notre-Dame, remember that. All you need is just walk across the bridge after that beautiful church and cross the road and you'll spot this heaven.)


Do believe me when I say Paris is one of the most romantic city on earth, because you see, I've been spending most of the time on my own; getting here and there with no companion whereas everyone around hand-in-hand with their loved ones and..... it made me somehow a bit..... melancholy.
Actually, pertamanya selow-selow, masih senyum-senyum lihat sekitar, semuanya terlihat bahagia dan I'm so happy too to be here and it's just me that I'm so happy to see a couple who asked me to take their picture with the Eiffel background satisfied with the one that I took. It made me smile and perasaan hangat aja gitu lihatnya.

But, you see, sometimes walking alone along The Seine all by yourself isn't a good idea. That place is too beautiful (much much more beautiful than walking along The Thames!) you just can't handle it. Aku juga mau kaliiii jalan menyusuri Seine bareng si dia. Mana dingin, kan mau juga bergandengan tangan. Pokoknya nanti kalo kesini lagi harus sama si dia... Yea cuhhh, senorak itu. But, that was all. The city makes you baper and all.


With love, yang lagi agak baper


Bonjour Paris!








I don't know how to begin this post, but, well... Here I am at one of the most beautiful, gorgeous and romantic city in the world! 

You know, what one the most important thing to note is that Paris is much much much more beautiful than you could possibly seen in the movies, tumblr, pinterest or any other sites you name it. Before I arrive here, I have known that Paris is a super-mega gorgeous city and I have expected that; but when I see the whole city with my own eyes, it's even more than I've ever expected. I was so in an awe and it finally came into my mind that this city is more beautiful than London (though I'm still and always be an angliophile at heart). I don't know how to explain it with some proper adjectives, but it's the building, the blocks, the surrounding, the languages and the weather that makes your heart shivers.


You see? The colour of the city was just as beautiful as that; vintage touch with pastel overlay. Wait, that's the filter. But, really, you have no idea. When I saw La Tour Eiffel in the first blink, I could hardy believe that I finally made it. Never I thought, even in my dream to have any chance coming here, plus living here for two weeks; but, again, I'm always so thankful for my parents who love sending me abroad.

The Eiffel Tower was such a beaut, she stands proud over there and never looks down. The most gorgeous man-made structure. I can't stop looking and taking pictures of her and all the pics turned out like these and it hits me that even an amateur like me could produce such a masterpiece.





 Then we headed to Notre-Dame and this one pretty cathedral was my favorite so far. I didn't get inside because there was already a long queue, so I thought I will come again no later than this week. I need to stop procastinating coming here and there since there'll be a huge regret at the end if I take any single moment for granted like I did when I was in London.



The third stop: Arc de Triomph.
So, I found it to be such a super-loooong walk from the Metro Station to that mega-grand fancy gate and walking along the Champ-Élysées reminded me of Oxford Street but in the bigger scale. I didn't expect it to be so grand it totally gave me such a goosebumps; because those typical Parisian buildings in blocks were something you cant stop looking at. I love London so so so much, but this city steals my heart at once (only for the surrounding, because a few part in the city and metro just smelled like pee! And London Tube wins over every underground in the entire world.) It's still my fourth day here, and I can't wait to find more beaut to treasure.

London Houses

 Balham Neighbourhood






 Nothing Hill






 Kensington 


 Camden houses from Primrose Hill


 A view from my window

London houses and neighbourhood are one of the endless reason why I adore this city so so so much. 
It was one cold morning after a little snowstorm the night before I set off to Nothing Hill and just wandered; went to the Nothing Hill bookstore, took hundred pictures of those houses, got in the real estate agent as I just want to buy a house, came in and out of the stores without buying things, and walked as I was a real Londoner.  All by myself. And it felt so much happiness. 

Sometimes I think of myself, why I never get tired of this city, you know, I didn't dream about this city before I came here for the first time. There was nothing like I have to go here to see Big Ben or Buckingham Palace or anything like that, there was nothing like Union Jack flag hanging on my wall, people giving me presents related to English thing--nothing like that, even since I've been fangirling over Harry Potter, I have never had that feeling to want to visit this city.
But, then, my dad impusively sent me here. And I fell in love with it ever since. And I don't think I will ever get over with it.
And, again, it's not about Big Ben anymore, or London eye, or Oxford Street, or The Beatles, or Arctic Monkeys or whatever you name it, yet this city fully took my heart in such a short period of time. I truly discovered myself here, met so many people who worth a lifetime experience, got to see and learned so many things beyond my thoughts and eventho until this very moment I still couldn't get myself over with someone I met and spent time with two years ago there, but this city is a thing.