Sunday, March 22, 2009

Almost 'April in Paris'

The highlight of the week, in fact, of P2 so far, is spending the entire Saturday wandering from Le Marais to Les Halles.

I have always liked Paris, truly, but yesterday I was absolutely in Love with the city! Though I didn't have my iPod with me, I was playing for myself in my head Gershwin's score for An American (substitute with Chinese here) in Paris.

Every time I emerged from a metro station, I felt I was walking into a moveable postcard. The sun was shining generously. I had my first glimpse of cherry blossoms in France. I smelled the intoxicating mix of coffee and butter and garlic everywhere. I actually walked by people who would smile back at me!

All of this reminds me of an old Ella Fitzgerald song that I absolutely loved as a teenager- April in Paris written by E Y Harburg. The funny thing is I read somewhere that Harburg, the lyricist, had never visited Paris before he wrote this song. And years later, when he actually got the chance to see Paris in April, he found it rainy, gray and dirty! Talk about the cruel ironies of life!

Well, too bad for Monsieur Harburg. As I am watching the world go by at the corner of Rue Etienne Marcel and Montorgueil, everything felt right - just like how it was described in the song.

April in Paris
By Yip Harburg
I never knew the charm of spring
I never met it face to face
I never new my heart could sing
I never missed a warm embrace

Till april in paris, chestnuts in blossom
Holiday tables under the trees
April in paris, this is a feeling
That no one can ever reprise

I never knew the charm of spring
I never met it face to face
I never new my heart could sing
I never missed a warm embrace

Till april in paris
Whom can I run to
What have you done to my heart

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