No trip to Paris would ever be complete without a visit to the beloved Cathédrale de Notre-Dame. Built between 1163 and 1345 the Notre Dame has withstood centuries of history and is one of the most iconic cathedrals in the world. Not only is the Notre Dame a pure masterpiece of French Gothic architecture, it has also remained the city’s heart and soul for centuries of dynamic struggle and change.
There are moments in life when you are so deeply moved by what one person can do to make a difference in the world that it takes your breath away. This is how I felt when I met Sonal Kapoor, founder of Protsahan, a school for underprivileged girls in the heart of India. Not even thirty years old, Kapoor is already considered one of the most inspiring young social entrepreneurs in the world and after a visit to her beautiful school in the slums of Delhi, it is no doubt that she and her pupils will go far.
Many are aware of the huge inequities and poverty strangling India. Although India has seen rapid economic growth over the last decade, the gap between rich and poor has become even wider and more profound. As migrant families leave their villages in rural India and come to the big cities in search for a better life, the growth of urban slums, many in deplorable conditions, continues to grow at unmanageable rates. In just Delhi alone, there are thousands of them. (The slum population in India is estimated at 62 million people and around 1.7 million residing in Delhi alone. Source: The Hindu). As almost 75,000 migrants come to Delhi alone each year, many of them end up populating the already over-crowded urban slums that can be found all throughout the city, even alongside some of Delhi’s poshest neighborhoods. (Source: The Hindu).
An all to frequent site within the Delhi slums: Garbage and the sacred cow.
“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair”. – Khalil Gibran
For some reason, when I was in India I became rather obsessed with photographing feet. Feet were everywhere and on full display. Perhaps it was the insanely high temperatures that scorched the skin like fire that lead so many to simply remove their shoes. Or else the Indian custom of removing ones shoes before entering a building or a temple, which unveiled so many glorious, diverse bare feet. Whatever the reason, I became mesmerized by all the variations of beautiful feet I saw in one of the most fascinating countries in the world.
Here are my feet sweltering on the burning carpets leading to a temple. It was 120 degrees out and the pain to walk barefoot on this rug was real. Yet I had to take a photo to remember how it felt.
April in Paris is one of those quintessential travel experiences that any travel lover should experience. As springtime hits Paris, this sensationally romantic and beautiful city comes to life. The chairs at the street cafes are full with people, the flowers are blooming leaving a fragrance in the air, and the world of Paris comes to life with an unmatched energy that can’t be found anywhere in the world. In a nutshell, April in Paris is utterly fantastic.
An added bonus of going in April or even early May is that the hordes of tourists haven’t yet arrived. They wait until summer. That means fewer lines, more free seats at the outdoor cafes, and prime people-watching of mostly Parisians. It also allows for great access to many of Paris’ amazing sites with less hassle and more chance at getting some great photos without having to elbow someone for the shot.