City of lights shines better at night

I've been in a funk. I mean it's a new year, I'm excited for everything - but I'm in a funk. Today, that funk kinda just dis-apparated. 

I got up early and was out of the house before 9am (since when does that ever happen in Paris?), off to have a morning stroll around Musée de l'Orangerie to see Monet's Les Nymphaeas and the soon-to-end exhibition of Diego Riviera and Frida Kahlo. Let me just say these two are easily my favourite painters, and to have them under one roof, and for free for EU students, was just brilliant. After satisfying our taste in art, Monica, Laura and I headed towards our favourite haunt, Holybelly for some all-day scrambled eggs, house baked beans, crispy bacon and hash brown balls - and a cheeky coffee, of course.

I left the girls at Gare du l'Est and went home for a little while, catching up with a couple of friends back home who I hadn't spoken to in a while, then decided to walk to my next rendezvous to grab coffee with a teacher from my old school who was staying in Paris for a few weeks. 7km and a gorgeous sunset later, and there we were chatting away like no time had passed, though talking about how much time had passed. It was nice to see a face from home. A familiar accent, a reminder of my teens and a reminder also of how much I have grown up.

I decided "fuck it, I'ma walk back home" so I did. And the city became entirely new to me. I've made a point of knowing the general direction that I need to take but always choosing different streets to renew the city each time I go somewhere. Tonight was just one of those nights where you could not wipe the look of content from my face. These are just some of the sights.