FRANCE

Ask me any question as far as Dance, Drama, Mime and Performance Arts go, and I would probably answer in French.

Talk to me about Philosophy and the name Jean-Jacques Rousseau would come up, French again. The dignity of all human beings. United Nation's Declaration of Human Rights.

Mention the impressionist painter Monet and you would see my face light up like a bright sun on a Summer's day.

These are the three pillars of France that I carry with me.

France was the last stop of my "Grand Tour" and I have been fortunate enough to enjoy Paris during the seasons:

Attending courses in Philosophy and subsequent night-long debates with like-minded people of all ages and from all backgrounds. This taught me to never try to back up a French person in a Philosophy corner, because they will come out, successfully, and get back at you. I have seen that happen many times....

Attending work-shops in Dance, Drama and Mime, with people who take these forms of artistic expressions to a whole new level; it is as if their personality transforms. Then watch them later on a random street performing, and be aware of ever disturbing them, because you will be told off...by the public!
Street art is serious business in Paris, and rightfully so.

And then there is my beloved Monet: a truly gifted Impressionist painter, whose skill in mastering the painting of Water Lilies, gardens and the beautiful outdoors is second to none.
His technique was extraordinary, his sense of colours (in the earlier parts of his life) was absolutely divine.
Tiny little dots, barely visible, put together with the finest, softest strokes, and out from the canvas grows a painting.
Inspired by Nature, Monet emptied his heart onto the canvas for all of us to see.

"L'Orangerie" in the centre of Paris is the permanent home to eight of Monet's very large paintings of Water Lilies.

You can not in all earnest visit Paris without spending long hours there.

This was the only drawing I made during my entire "Grand Tour", sitting there, trying to capture just some tiny part of these master pieces.

To some extent, Monet and Paris summed up my tour.

Reminding me to never forget, but also sowing in me the seeds to pursue growth in the fields of Performance Arts, Philosophy and Visual Arts.

I have stayed true to this promise to myself; continually developing these sides of my "Renaissance Personality" is a process of delightful growth...