postcard from paris

If you´ve seen the video I uploaded last week, you´ll know I went on a very spontaneous trip to Paris last week to see my beloved Patti Smith.

I´ll spare writing out the whole story since I already told you - so after I told you, I packed my bag, washed my hair, made a very late dinner and tried to be in bed by 11. Falling asleep seemed an impossible task so I barely slept because I was so excited like a little kid - it´s a reoccurring theme for me not to sleep the night before something exciting is planned, I was like that as a kid and will probably still be that way all the way through adulthood (which is a good thing I guess).

The next morning, I went to my hometown, since it´s kinda on the way from Berlin to Paris, and I felt like visiting my grandma in the hospital together with my Dad and Grandpa. It was just a feeling, which turned out to be so right - she passed away just a few days later. I got to tell her I love her, which was my way of saying goodbye, even tho I didn´t know in that moment this was our final goodbye.

It was a butterfly effect for sure, spending all Friday trying to get concert tickets which led me to being able to say goodbye to my grandma, and in a way, I owe this to Patti, because she was the reason for this trip.

Saturday evening, I spent in my childhood home, eating pumpkin soup my Mum made, updating and being updated by my sister about everything that´s going on in our lives.

Sunday I took a bus to Paris which took around 9 hours, I got to Paris around 9 in the evening, I brought my journal and a book but ended up listening to Pattis music for almost the whole drive, looking out of the window, passing by pretty red and orange trees feeling so happy and grateful to be able to do this. As I´m writing this it´s already late November which is over a month after this trip, but things were very hectic, and I wanted to take my time writing this as there’s no rush anyways.

The hostel turned out to be in a quite sketchy area, a bit outside of Paris, but since I booked last minute and was on a budget, this was the only option. Originally, I wanted to stroll around Paris for a bit but decided to go straight to the hostel because I was so exhausted - how can one be so tired, all I did was sitting on a bus?

The next day I woke up early, being sleepy as I went to the bathroom and stumbling over a girl passed out on drugs in the entrance to the bathroom. Hostel staff came and helped her, but I guess that sums up the vibe the hostel gave off quite well.

I got ready for the day, bought a metro pass and made my way into the city, stopping by a grocery store for my favorite Paris breakfast on a budget I have every time I´m there: freshly pressed orange juice and either a chocolate or a plain croissant. This time I went with plain. Walked up to the Seine and enjoyed my breakfast while listening to Patti on my mp3 player. I´m quite torn about listening to the Artists music the day of the concert, sometimes I do, sometimes I don´t - what´s your take on that?

Besides Pattis music, I also listened to the soundtrack of the movie “the fabulous life of Amélie” - is there a better soundtrack to listen to in Paris? I don´t think so.

For some reason I found this hilarious and had to laugh

I walked along the Seine all the way to the Eiffel Tower, which never fails to make life feel magical (at least for me as a tourist), I sat by the Seine and journaled before heading to a completely Vegan Vietnamese restaurant as I was attracted by a very good lunch offer and got hungry. The name is “Conscience - Vietnam in Paris” and the food was so good I still think about it a month later. I started reading “Der Fall Brooklyn” (Motherless Brooklyn as its original title) by Jonathan Lethem which I picked up from the library in Berlin while waiting for my food.

And what would a little city trip be without browsing through record stores? I took home two CDs from a cute little second hand record store, LA woman by the Doors and Tracy Chapman by Tracy Chapman.

I walked so much I chose to go back to my hostel to lay down for an hour before the concert started, so that´s what I did, it started raining when I walked to the subway so that was perfect timing.

Then it was time for the concert: I was soooooo excited, you can´t believe how excited I was, I feel so blessed to be alive during the same time she is - many of my favorite artists who lived during the same time she did already passed away a long time ago, but to be in the same room listening to her sing is pure magic. I´ve seen her live many times now but can´t help tearing up a little every time she enters the stage. Something about her presence is so special, I can´t even explain it.

I think I mentioned before that the concert was a celebration of her debut record “Horses” which came out 50 years ago which is crazy to think about. Horses is (in my opinion) the greatest debut record someone has ever put out - of course I don´t know every single debut record of every band but from the ones I know, I´m convinced that for me, in my little universe, there is no greater debut than this.

A little video I filmed, I know the quality and my way of filming are shit, but I have to smile every time I watch it because it captures the whole atmosphere so beautifully.

She played the whole record the way it is on the album, song after song, and ended the concert with some of her other songs from other albums including my favorite song of hers, Pissing in a river, and a cover of the Smashing Pumpkins Bullet with butterfly wings.

Post concert depression hit the moment she left the stage, and I kept thinking to myself “please come back” but the concert ad to end at some point, of course. I walked around the concert venue for a bit to process and get some fresh air before making my way back to my hostel dorm.

The next day, I had to fly back to Berlin - not a big fan of flying but I had no choice since I had to be back at work that same afternoon. I went to the airport early in the morning after barely sleeping in my hostel dorm - I kept waking up in the middle of the night thinking I slept through my alarm only to notice it was still the middle of the night.

My flight was delayed by 3 hours, which was very unfortunate, but the money I got paid in compensation almost paid for the whole trip to Paris. This was one of those moments where I could feel the Universe have my back so clearly, making me feel like this trip was truly meant to be. The reason I hesitated to go was because technically, I didn´t have the money for it. I chose to go anyways and justify it by working more next month so the money will come back to me. I went on that trip and got to say goodbye to my grandma right before she passed, I got to see my favorite Patti in one of my favorite cities in the world and in the end, the money I got from the airline covered almost exactly the amount I spent for the trip (minus the concert ticket but that’s alright). I was late to work that day because of the delay, but no one seemed to be mad, instead, my team was so happy for me, and I could tell everyone stories from that trip. Now it´s a month later, and my heart is still filled with so much gratitude looking back on that weekend.