"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered" - Nelson Mandela

Have you ever returned to a destination years later to find that nothing has materially changed, and that the only thing that has drastically changed is you? I recently had this sentiment while visiting France last summer, and more specifically, Paris.

The first time that I visited Paris was in 2013. Like most people that fall in love with a particular city, I told myself that I would be back without knowing when or whether this would actually happen (because let's face it - there's so much of this world to see).

At the time, everything about the city felt novel and surreal. Time was limited, and naturally, the goal was to taste and see as many touristic attractions as possible and come home with a suitcase filled with souvenirs. I had a vision for my life that seemed so grand at the time, and once there, I set goals for myself that would stay with me until I returned. This period in my life was crucial, and assisted me in defining what success and the "good life" meant to me. Avoiding extremes by finding a sweet spot between familiarity and change, having personal values and standing by them, cultivating meaningful connections with family and community, and seeing "work" as an act of service.

Musée Rodin

While on exchange in 2015, Paris became more of a weekend escape from my studies in Nantes with friends. We visited all of the places that we didn't have the time to see during our previous trips, and wanted to discover new arrondissements and the "lesser known" museums and exhibits.

I returned last summer with one purpose: to relax. To catch up with old friends, enjoy an espresso on a terrasse, and see a PSG football game on a Sunday night.

My mental map of the city came to life as each borough sparked a colourful memory of an animated conversation with a friend and the discovery of a new spot. As nostalgic as it was, I made new memories to last a life time.

Brasserie Greffulhe

Another thing that you will realize when returning to a familiar place is how much you've grown as an individual. Your priorities have changed. Many of the goals that you have worked towards will have come to pass. If they haven't, you're somehow at peace with that, because you know that they probably weren't as important as you had thought that they were.

The warmth of the sun. The smell of the sea.

If you're heading to Banff for the day and are short on time and in need of a few suggestions, you've come to the right place. I visited the park at the beginning of summer, and have compiled a short-list of my favourite spots and activities.

1. The Gondola

For starters, you should definitely take the gondola to the summit of Sulphur mountain to experience the breath-taking views of the city. To purchase your tickets, you can either:

• wait in line and buy them at the Gondola site;
• buy them at the front desk of the Elk + Avenue Hotel; or,
• purchase them online (48 hours in advance), which will save you from standing in line for thirty-minutes. 

In order to get there, I highly suggest taking the shuttle bus because it is free and comes every twenty minutes. One thing to be aware of; there is a time-limit on your gondola ride. Meaning that you only have two hours to explore the mountain before heading back down. You can, however, choose to stay up there for a longer period of time, but at an extra cost. With that being said, there is more than enough time to see everything, but just be conscious about how you divide your time. I spent half of my time exploring the boardwalk and Sanson's Peak, and the other half enjoying the three-floors of the Gondola Summit, which has an interactive museum, an art gallery, a gift store, and a restaurant.

Temperatures on the mountain vary, even in the summer months. So dress in layers, bring some mitts and a hat, and wear warm (closed toe) shoes.

2. Hiking

A morning jaunt up a mountain does the body and mind some good. Depending on the layout of the mountain's trail and switchbacks, it can be an intense incline. Be sure to pack enough water and snacks - the air in Banff and Calgary is really dry, so take breaks when necessary.

3. High Tea at the Fairmont Lake Louise

High tea has been a favourite of mine for years. My friends and I have made it a tradition to meet up for high tea at the Fairmont hotel in different cities (i.e., Ottawa, Toronto, Banff). The Fairmont Lake Louise offers an incredible English tea menu that is fit for a queen. Literally. They serve the late Princess Diana's favourite sandwich, which is the roast beef with golden beetroot & horseradish crème. We meet up here because the tea is incredible. But why do we keep going back to the same hotel? The service is always wonderful. They seem to have mastered the art of keeping a watchful eye on you while giving you just enough time and space to catch up, share good news, and enjoy the view from the window in peace and quiet.

4. Downtown

Here are a few honourable mentions for stores and activities near Downtown Banff:

• Ice cream at COWS Inc.: a super cute, handmade ice cream store that is based in P.E.I.
• The Rocky Mountain Soap Company: 100% natural products that you can smell from a mile away.
• Cave and Basin National Historic Site: a surreal cave with turquoise blue water that is believed to be the birthplace of Banff national park. It's a 2km walk from downtown Banff, but is worth the trouble. For a more enjoyable experience, you can also walk along a scenic trail that is parallel to the roadway.

Of course, there's still more to say regarding the food, night life, excursions etc. But maybe I'll save this for another post!

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you all had a great week and are looking forward to celebrating the Victoria day long weekend! The warm weather has finally arrived in Montréal, and that I can safely leave the apartment in the evening without a jacket (and yes, that's my indication that summer is here). It's crazy how quickly the year is flying by; we're almost at the half way mark! This time of year always makes me think about how much I've been reading. Now that 1L is successfully complete, I can finally get my hands on all the amazing books that people have suggested. I'm excited to share my reading list and book recommendations with you guys!

Thinking Fast and Slow: If you would like to get a better understanding of the human mind and the factors that influence our decision making, this book is for you. Daniel Kahneman provides a comprehensive overview of heuristics, internal biases, priming, rationality, and judgments. I know, it sounds a bit dense, but Kahneman manages to summarize decades of extensive psychological research in a palatable way. This book is quite scientific, so I wouldn't describe this as a book for reading (with a cup of tea) before bed. This book encourages you to think! It will challenge your preconceived notions, and make you more sensitive when reasoning and drawing conclusions.

I've Been Thinking: Maria Shriver may be the niece of President John F. Kennedy, but make no mistake, she's is a self-made woman. She's an American journalist, an activist for individuals with intellectual disabilities, an anchor on NBC News, and the former first lady of California. In her book, she articulates her philosophy on life, faith, and community, elements that have all been shaped after years of reporting on the lives of other individuals. This book is funny, blunt, a little bit quirky, but always instructive. I particularly enjoyed the fact that each chapter ends in some form of prayer or good intention, so as to inspire introspection. The chapters are quite short and do not need to be read in succession. After reading this novel, I somehow feel closer to Maria. Her insights have taught me that the human experience is shared one, and despite living in socially divided world, there are universal ties that connect us all. We should be grateful for the relationships that shape us, and the adversities that grow us. Most of all, we should be proud of our own story, whatever it may be.

David and Goliath: I picked this one up at the airport over the Christmas holidays and was pleasantly surprised. As the title suggests, Malcolm Gladwell draws on biblical and historical references that teach us that the most unassuming individuals can succeed, and that our greatest weaknesses are also our greatest strengths. I'm forcing all of my friends to read this, and have already started listening to "Outliers" on audiobook.

On the bookshelf:

It took me a while to put this post together. 

Initially, I wanted to post some photos and add in few captions (which, now that I think about it, sounds kinda lazy). I was also hesitant to write this post after learning about the devastating attacks in the Helwan district that took place on December 29th, just one day after I left Cairo. What's particularly jarring is that I attended a Christmas service while there, but at a different church, and at a different time.

The night before my flight, someone jokingly told me to stay away from large crowds. I kind of laughed it off, but I silently wondered to myself why so many people perceive Egypt to be dangerous country (I later realized it's not as safe as I imagined). Naïve, I know.  Churches and mosques are usually surrounded by high security, but it is clear that tragic events can still take place despite all the precautions taken.

I'm glad I changed my mind and dedicated an entire post to this incredible city, because there are so many good things to say. At the end of the day, I still believe we should travel to the destinations on our bucketlist (within reason, of course). Besides, if we stress over travel warnings and watch the news on loop 24/7, we'll never end up going anywhere, right?

Strangely enough, the first thing I noticed was that the service industry appears to be very prominent in Cairo. Having a hired chef, caterer, gardener, cleaning services, driver etc. appears to be the norm*. I don't know why this took me by surprise. Cairo is a huge city with many civilians, traffic congestion is high, and so convenience is key. I learned that Uber and Kareem are popular ridesharing services for getting around the city. I also observed that social gatherings are usually catered, and that Ot Lob is a popular app for ordering in. Speaking of food, Egyptian cuisine is simple, delicious, and always made to order. My favourite dish was Mahshi, a cabbage roll stuffed with spiced rice and tomato. They also make the best assorted desserts out of dried fruits and nuts.

*Disclaimer: my experience is through the lens of a visitor which, I'm sure, is wildly different from the "norm".

Tourism

I was especially taken by the interior of the mosque. 

After removing your shoes at the entrance, you enter through a large wooden door and stroll into the dimly lit, carpeted space. You'll find several individuals (seated and standing) that are being lead in prayer, as well as a few tourists. I could literally spend hours staring at the light fixtures and ornate details on the high ceiling.

Around sunset, we went on a felucca ride down the Nile river. This was easily my favourite part of the trip. There's nothing like the peace and quiet of being out on water, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Somewhere along the journey, we saw a fisherman off in the distance that appeared to be rowing his boat towards us. His name was Ramadan, a friend of the man sailing our boat. He explained that he was about to make a cup of tea and asked us if we would like some.

I'm grateful to be able to visit a country with such a rich historical background. There are several other Egyptian cities that are noteworthy, but that require more time to explore (ex. Luxor, Alexandria etc.). Hopefully, I'll be able to go back and see them some day!