Sunday, June 26, 2016

Never knew that John Piper had videos online, perfect for a day that I'm too uninspired and weary: http://www.desiringgod.org/labs/do-you-want-god-more-than-anything

Thankful for His words and brothers and sisters in Christ.

Saturday, June 25, 2016

je voyage

I initially wanted to type a long post but I couldn't find the words to condense my thoughts into a blog-able material. And so I shall let the photos do the talking ( + take the chance to post photos I might not upload anywhere else haha) and keep my thoughts in my diary~

This trip to France was, I guess, different: I hardly knew people on the trip, and I spent another week with someone I could barely call a friend at first. (Overall a good decision to have a travel buddy though ^^) For the first time, I actually missed home - family, friends, fellowship (and food hehe). No, don't get me wrong - I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and am super thankful that it's a tick off my travel list. I loved walking down the streets, discovering every little detail, watching people, being part of the hype, sitting on the grass with the greatest worry being where my next meal shall be at. I do hope that I always have this privilege to be a carefree traveler. Yet, as always, the escapade made coming back to reality so difficult and I found myself struggling to re-adapt. I'm getting better at it though, and I'm feeling a little less post-vacation blues definitely.

(Trying not to feature myself in the following photos ---)
[Featuring fat Parisian pigeons and the pyramids at Le Louvre]
The architecture and sights were really amazing. I've heard mixed reviews about the Eiffel Tower / L'arc de Triomphe / Louvre etc. but it was great to see them before my eyes :)

[Featuring me along with many other tourists LOL] I think this pretty up sums up Paris - as an incredibly old city (explains why the apartment I lived in had wooden spiral staircase that wasn't quite friendly for people with huge luggages) but one bursting with life and happenings. 
 Have I mentioned that I loveddddd the flowers in France??? I literally light up whenever I walk past a florist because they have such beautifulll bouquets and bright, fresh flowers!!
 [Featuring Chateau de Versailles] This was one of the moments I wished I had a DSLR that could capture the beauty of this place. Despite the really irritating rain that can't make up its mind, thank God that weather was still generally good whenever we went sightseeing. Literally breathtaking being at the Royal Garden. The vastness of sky and greenery; I could spend a peaceful afternoon there.
 [Featuring The Wedding at Cana, painting by Paolo Veronese, at Le Louvre] Museums were everywhere and this was the reason why I would ever want to be a student in the EU (free entry!!!) Amazing collection. If you realised, the people in this photo are not looking at the painting, because Mona Lisa was directly opposite this piece. However, I honestly saw nothing exceptional about Mona Lisa hmmm.
[Patisserie at Reims] Quoting Srishti, "You haven't stopped by a cake shop without snapping a photo!" But that's because the pastries are such beauties!!!
[Inside the Notre-Dame Cathedral at Reims] I loved the cathedrals in France and the peaceful atmosphere in every one of them (Dr Brantner would probably say something along the lines of how the space and unspoken rules induce certain kinds of interaction, which is true). Gave up shopping to spend a short 30 minutes in this cathedral and I regretted not going earlier.

There were many more memories - and of course as of every place, not everything is rosy. But I couldn't quite capture the darker, imperfect side of the city and that will therefore only remain in my memory.

Au revoir~ :)

-

Sidenote: This is a rather happy post and reflecting upon the trip does make me contented, but as mentioned, I'm still readjusting to normality and there are so many things that weigh down on me right now. It felt like once I returned, things piled up all of a sudden. Friends, family, my faith, work, camps etc.