Harriet O’Brien (1984)
About me
After coming and going from Paris over the past few years either as part of my degree or on some nameless whim I finally managed to commit a decent period of time to the exploration of the city in 2007.
Arriving very much toute seule I did what any friendless foreigner would do, I wandered far and wide with starry eyes and no direction. In this way I found Paris to be smaller, more accessible and infinitely more beautiful than I could ever have imagined.
Those first experiences fuelled greater exploration and deeper insight which I hope in some small way to communicate through my choices on the Spotted by Locals cityblog.
Why Paris?
- Too big to ever tire of or truly know inside-out, small enough to feel somewhat possessive over and yet somehow possessed by.
- Beautiful girls with red lips and high-heels riding battered old bikes: the delightful stereotype come true!
- Out-door culture: public parks, gardens, terraces and more cafés than a lifetime could exhaust.
- The water… for me no great city is really complete without a backdrop of untamed natural waters amid all the man-made chaos.
- The ‘demi’: an institution in its own right!
- Quirky socialist initiatives: Vélib, the Paris Plage, city-wide free Wi-Fi, copious public holidays and free cultural events such as the Nuit Blanche (free entrance to museums all night long).
