Rendezvous in Paris
In between marvelling at artwork including their wedding portrait displayed at the MEP Art Gallery, M&T took a moment to explore the City of Light.
France is a country beloved by many, but Paris is the glittering jewel in France’s crown. For millions of people, the City of Light embodies the ultimate in romance, elegance, culture, and all things beautiful and refined.
Almost every passion can be indulged there. Whether you’re a history or art buff, a wine fanatic or a fashionista, an impassioned foodie or someone who simply enjoys watching life unfold from a café terrace, you can find your home in Paris.
Co-Director of Stoneface Communications, Indlovukazi Mapule and Inanda FM Station Manager, Thandeka Ngobese (fondly known as M&T), certainly felt at home on their recent trip to Paris when they were invited to the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) art gallery in Paris as the subjects of some of the photographs on exhibit. The photos in question included the couple’s wedding photo as well as a photo of Indlovukazi Mapule which was part of Visual activist and photographer, Sir Zanele Muholi’s Faces and Phases collection.
Sir Muholi documented the white wedding of the couple on 2 September 2017, and six years later the photos were shared with French audiences at an exhibition showcased at the MEP gallery from 1 February to 21 May 2023. Sir Muholi was fascinated by the wedding photos as they portrayed a typical definition of same sex marriage displayed in the way they were dressed. It was a union of families with elderly members from both sides of the families present.
Visiting France has been on Thandeka’s bucket list as one of the cities she wanted to visit with her wife because of the way that it is portrayed as the “City of Love”. “When I got the invitation to attend the exhibition, it was a dream come true. I have always wanted to see the famous Eiffel Tower, the Love Bridge, drink the champagne and taste the food from Chinese and Italian restaurants, all of which I got to do,” she said.
The site seeing was facilitated by the Galerie Carole Kwasnevski as their hosts who made sure the couple got to see all the places they wanted to see, even though due to the cold and rainy weather on some days, they were not able to see everything.
Thandeka can still taste the French pastries which she thoroughly enjoyed and Indlovukazi Mapule was fascinated by artistic flair displayed at almost every street corner at an art gallery showcasing art from around the world. “I was in awe of the artistic talent and cultural pride of the Parisians. The street vendors sell books and French memorabilia, and the restaurants are beautiful,” she said.
Paris has an extensive metro system, a sleek tramway, and a multi-armed network of buses that reach all corners of both the central areas and suburbs. The couple got to experience the city in an enthralling bus ride the couple describes as “exquisite and enjoyable”.
Walking the streets of Paris is an experience of a lifetime, but it is easy to get lost in the City of Love as the couple soon discovered on one of their adventures around the city. “It was a rainy day. We got on the bus and were supposed to get off at a certain place and ended up getting off at the wrong place and walking around not finding our destination. It was difficult to get help because we could not ask for directions due to the language barrier, but we eventually found our way home. It was a fun experience, a memory we will cherish,” reminisced Indlovukazi.
It may have been a short stay in Paris, but the couple certainly made the most of it by taking in the taste and culture of the French. “I’m definitely visiting Paris again,” says Thandeka enthusiastically.
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