Dear perfume lovers,
Today I am embracing journeying across the World through the sense of smell…
Well, my nose has quietly betrayed me and I can soothe the respiratory system with some thyme tea, that way giving in to realization that perfume actually has the ability to store memories. And with those memories it carries emotions, feelings, everything personal and ever so powerful. Starting with an individual story behind the purchasing of the bottle and also depending on its further relationship with the owner, the fragrance could turn into a bomb. Of course, the metaphoric one.
Different countries I have been to rewarded me with beautiful perfumes. It did not take long until I started coming back home with a bottle of precious juice instead of a fridge magnet. A bar of chocolate disappears in seconds in this house… a bottle of whiskey or liqueur might take a little longer.. but the holiday memories stored in a bottle of perfume stay around nearly forever..
And months or years later, one of the reasons for one to reapply the perfume bought in London or Paris, I think, is to re-experience the precious moments over and over again… There are hundreds and thousands of new fragrances being released each year and, of course, it is close to impossible to try to like them all. That is why, the ones we are lead to by chance, advice, gifting, or inner feeling, on different occasions, are the ones that we unknowingly empower to hold the memories for us. Take water, e.g. – it absorbs everything positive and negative around it, and what is perfume if not water?..
But if there was no emotional attachment to the fragrance, would one still enjoy wearing it?…
My first perfumed journey started with 5th Avenue – a classic by Elizabeth Arden, in New York – our first trip away with my husband. Vienna left me speechless with her architecture, music and coffee, and gave me Opium Vapeurs de Parfum by Yves Saint Laurent. I felt so happy in Vancouver which gifted me La Panthere by Cartier. Secrets D’Essences Neroli by Yves Rocher is a true recollection of an early spring in Sevilla, Spain, because the whole city smells of orange blossoms…
I felt truly spellbound in Lithuania when a store assistant suggested a perfume (it was Rima XI by Carner Barcelona) which then opened many doors to my childhood… I was like Marcel Proust in ‘Remembrance of Things Past’ sniffing the blotter, and couldn’t believe my own visions and sensations, it was like an explosion of feelings and memories, especially the smell of a layered honey cake we used to make for a birthday party, or the taste of vanilla ice cream in a huge waffle tub-like cone that I used to buy for a few coins during Soviet times…
Then, the most recent trip we took was to Tenerife, Spain. With its cyan waters and white waves crashing on to the rocks and ash-like beaches, and with the warmth of the sun, I could just stay there listening to the noise of the ocean, learning to stop the time, and just be…. Nothing better could represent the island like the whole range of gorgeous smells from Agua de Tenerife, Playa Paraiso being my favourite yet.
Also, thanks to Amsterdam, Netherlands, I have discovered Rituals which is a home to beautiful perfume, skin care and cosmetics. With their help I am envisioning another journey to the Orient, the Himalayas, maybe even as far as Japan… The World is so vast, there are so many places to explore, so many new experiences to gain….
There have been many others trips.. So, most importantly of all, I would like to thank all my friends and Mr.G 🙂 , as without your guidance, help, advice and support these trips wouldn’t have been as exciting and thrilling as they were.
And finally, if you are interested, you are all very welcome to read my three-part series of blog posts called Gemstones of Paris, as they have more in-depth view on this city.
I hope my senses will sharpen soon enough and I will be able to continue ‘sniffing around’ 🙂 until then,
Jessica
