A Selfie with Eiffel Tower

For someone born and bred in a middle class milieu, where travel, in itself, is considered a luxury, the utterance of 'world tour', leaves onlookers agape. You need to have a lot of moolah to travel to international destinations, or so is the conception.

Is it a conception, or a misconception, I feel, when I look at my boss, who keeps posting pictures of his international adventures on the WhatsApp, making any normal human being turn envious, like the good ol' devil of the Onida TV advertisement of the 1980s. I think, he has seen the whole world by now. Right from the neighboring Nepal and Sri Lanka to Singapore, Malaysia and as far as London, Paris and America, he has seen it all. Some people are truly blessed. I look at his pictures with a child-like wonder and amazement.

But it is indeed a misconception, because as I google and go to MakeMyTrip.com to browse for the cheapest flight, I find Indigo Airlines + Qatar Airways (with a layover at Doha), offering tickets to Paris from Hyderabad for a travel on 1st October, 2017, for as little as INR 21, 464/-. Is that not a steal? And the Schengen Visa comes for just INR 5600/-.

The world indeed has turned into a Global Village. All you need is a will to travel. Out there the ever growing aviation industry competitively offers you tickets for a bargain. Home stays at Airbnb throws homes in almost any part of the world at truly unbelievable rates. So why not make the most of it?

Recently he went on a European Tour and he posted pictures with the London Bridge peeping from his back in one picture and the Eiffel Tower standing beside him, tall as a big brother in another picture. These are precious moments of pride for those who travel.

It was then, as I was looking through his pictures, I questioned myself in all innocence, what do Indians on world travel eat really? What are the options available to a pure vegetarian? How do they survive? What do they eat?

Does the 'phoren land' dish out only burgers and pizzas?

And lets get a little specific and know what to eat when in Paris.

But before that what is the French staple diet? And what other options does the French Capital offer to an Indian traveler?

Paris is the place to have an affair with food. The French are famous for their gastronomy, no doubt, that it is rightly called the 'foodie wonderland'. It is always advisable to make memories relishing the local food.

The flaky, fresh, buttery real French croissants, fresh, warm and out of the oven baguettes, and the French Pastries like Paris-Brest, millefeuille, and fruit tarts are some of the French foods to die for. Relish the Nutella Crepe as an afternoon snack or as a late night indulgence. And how can I forget to mention Jacques Genin Caramels and Macarons. But if you still prefer your own home country food, then head to the innumerable Indian eateries that are mushroomed around Paris.

To relish the real flavors of the French Cuisine, one needs to stay with some lovely french family, and enjoy the home-made dinners, but not all tourists are lucky to experience such homely bliss and camaraderie. How wonderful it would be if you come back to your host after a day full of sight seeing and selfie sessions beside every monument of Paris, and you are treated to sumptuous dinners every night during your stay in Paris.

But what if you are not so lucky? where do you end up eating? Here are some options for all of you out there, who are lovers of Indian food, if you are visiting Paris in the near future.

#170, rue du faubourg Sanit-Denis, this is the address you will have to head to, if a typical South Indian meal is what you crave for. Finding the Name Board Saravanaa Bhavan on a paris street is a welcome relief for an Indian traveler. You can order North Indian dishes too.

The next option is, "Jaipur cafe" at 15-17, rue Messageries 75010 Paris where you can have vegetarian as well as non vegetarian food.

Le Palais de Raja Maharaja is another great option for Indian Food in Paris located at 21 rue d'Ouessant 75015, Paris.

And then you have, "Gandhi Ji's", "New Calcutta", "Maharaja", "Madras cafe", "New Delhi's", "Sangeetha" and a host of other such Indian eateries.

So, don't you worry...you will find a little bit of India in every part of the world. So jus' pack your skybag, slip into your woodland shoes, book your Ola, reach the Airport, flaunt your Passport & Schengen Visa, take the Boarding Pass, be greeted into the plane, pierce through the clouds, pass through countries and let the Pilot screech the wheels on the runway of Roissy Airport at Paris, deplane, pass through the immigration and viola, you are in P A R I S...!

Beinvenue a Paris !

"The One who Travels, Greets Life" - Karim S A

Cover Picture Credit: http://www.toureiffel.paris/templates/tour_eiffel/img/home_360.jpg