Mea had prepared no choreography for the journey. She meant to walk, look at a few places and perhaps write something down. Then she met a cat, crossed a patch of sunlight and realised that her steps did not have to look the same all day.
Illustrated fiction inspired by original Travel2City photographs. The places come from separate journeys, not a one-day itinerary. Characters, dialogue, props and some composition and lighting are artistic interpretations.
A grey cat sat on a stone doorstep, entirely convinced that nothing about it needed improvement. Mea watched for a moment, then relaxed her shoulders. One arm rose into a small stretch. The cat did not move. Such confidence in the simple act of sitting deserved respect. Mea smiled, gave it plenty of space and walked on more lightly. The first lesson was free and required not a single meow.
Beneath an arch in Saint-Tropez, the walkway changed from shade to light. Mea crossed the boundary and, instead of another straight step, made a little turn. Her skirt followed a moment later. She paused and looked around, amused by her own small act of courage. Nothing happened. The arch remained an arch, the square a square. Only the journey through them had become a little more enjoyable.
On the beach near Hyères, Mea had plenty of room. One step forward, another a little to the side. The sand recorded both more faithfully than her notebook. She opened her arms only as far as she needed and let the skirt move gently. It was no performance, nor the beginning of a grand dance. Just a brief moment in which her body knew about joy slightly before she found a name for it.
On the terrace above the sea, Mea rested one hand on the cool wall. She kept the other near her heart and offered the view a bow so small it might have been mistaken for a nod. The pines accepted it without comment. The bay went on shining, and she no longer felt silly at all. Perhaps only pleasantly amused. Her notebook stayed in her bag. She had saved this moment somewhere else.
“Thank you. That was the whole performance.”
From notebook to book
The Map with No Last Page
Travel2City journeys continue between the covers of a book. Discover our illustrated travel world.
