My Favourite!

I'm going to try to write about one of my favourite things every Friday.  It's part of this blog's expansion into greater greatness. 

I have the pleasure of dedicating my first edition of "favourite things" to public transportation. I just can't get enough of it! 

To clarify, I really love foreign public transportation, but domestic sometimes does the trick just the same.  When I'm in Europe (because I'm there frequently and casually...) one of the things that I love to do most is to ride the metro of whatever city I'm in.  Nothing makes me feel more like a local kid than bumming around in the those low ceiling tunnels.  That's where I notice fashion trends, passionate musicians, oh and people who like to steal things in the crowded metro cars.  But I try to notice those people before they do anything tricky. 

I can't help but feel like I'm off to work, off to see my boyfriend, off to a life-changing audition when I'm riding on those things.  I become one with the people of the city while the drone of the metal track and the sway of the car keeps us in a hypnotic rhythm of sorts.  Perhaps I'm spiritualizing this experience too much.  I mean, really you're just stuffed into a box with strangers who speak a different language and could very well want that camera that you just tucked in your purse.  Maybe.  But I guess that's part of the appeal too.  It's not glamourous.  It's regular, common, every day.

I don't want to spend my time in Paris taking pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower.  I want to go eat too much bread and cheese with my wine and listen to a cellist in a dive-y bar filled with cigarette smoke.  For me, the metro is just part of experiencing the city that doesn't get talked about.  No one says "Leave time to take a ride on the fabulous metro system.  Simply flawless." in any of the guidebooks.  But without it, the city wouldn't run.  It's integral.  And it's kind of a fun game to try and find the metro signs instead of just jumping in a cab or something.

And because I'm a huge dork, I think you should totally check out this t-shirt from Threadless.  It's a depiction of Middle Earth (from Lord of the Rings)'s metro system. Gah!  No worries, I already ordered one. It's in the mail.