Isabel Arias could write her own Tale of Two Cities in a Dickensian style, perhaps this time more focused on the best of times rather than the worst, more on the spring of hope and less on the winter of despair. London and Paris have been two protagonists in her life, having visited each one more than 30 times. Her deep knowledge of both cities makes her newly published novel, When We See Each Other Again (Planeta Publishing), a sort of homage to these two important European capitals. Moreover, there is no corner she mentions in either city that doesn't entice one to visit. Among them are the coziest bookstores and cafes.
Isabel is an expert in this realm. "I do a lot of bookstore tourism because I love it," she states. That's why her first novel is set in The Red Wheelbarrow Bookstore in Paris. "I have always had a special affection for it. I can't quite explain why. And then the location, which is very special, right across from the Luxembourg Garden. And I don't know, whenever I go to Paris, I visit it. I didn't have to think much when I envisioned the novel because I knew it would be this one," she tells us.
"A book is often a journey too, because many people - and I myself - when I haven't been able to travel, I've done it through books. For me, they are certainly two fundamental tools because they allow you to abstract yourself. To set aside all your problems, worries, and, in the case of traveling, they are a source of creating memories; nothing compares in the world. First, because I always say that you enjoy a trip three times: when you plan it, when you experience it, and when you remember it. You generate a thousand anecdotes, a thousand stories, and then you remember them for a lifetime. I believe that even to people who have faced the worst adversities, traveling has helped them a lot. And reading, certainly too. And for me, having faced adversities in life, both have helped me immensely.
"The starting point of the novel was clear to me and inspired by a real experience because I lost my husband in March 2020, just when we were confined. The origin of the story in the novel is about the protagonist who loses her husband and decides to begin a new life," Isabel explains. And in that new life, both in fiction and reality, travel remains essential for the author. So much so that she not only organizes trips for herself but also for others.
Isabel knows that travels are filled with details that make them unforgettable. The coffee you had in that historic café. The stunning views from the top of that tower. That's why, in 2021, she launched her project Book Travels (viajesdelibroshop.es), where she creates personalized travel guides.
"I have always loved discovering the most peculiar spots in each place. If people go to Paris, no one will miss the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe, but they can miss a thousand things. The oldest restaurant in the world, which is there, the place where Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir lived... Peculiar places that have very interesting stories. So I started making travel guides for all corners of the world, sharing the essentials of each place, but also peculiar spots. We all enjoy, for example, when we travel, going in to have coffee at a beautiful, special place with history, and I include all that in my guides. I already have some made for sale and others customized for people who want me to design the whole trip based on their tastes and budget."
Among those peculiar spots, Isabel recommends several in Paris and London. In the English capital, Covent Garden: "For me, it's the prettiest neighborhood in the city, especially at Christmas." And in Notting Hill: "People go down Portobello Road, where the market is, and then head back to the subway and go to another neighborhood. I think it's essential to get away from the streets of the market. It's a beautiful neighborhood, with spectacular streets and houses, and as soon as you step away from the market street, there is no one around."
Regarding Paris: "My favorite neighborhood is Saint-Germain; it's full of history. But there's a spot that appears in the novel and that few people know. It's a bit away from the center, but for me, it's worth the excursion by metro. It's the Butte Bergeyre, a kind of small hill where there was an Olympic stadium 100 years ago that was torn down, a colony of little houses was built, and it's a spectacular oasis of peace; the neighbors even created a vineyard there. And it has breathtaking views of the Sacré-Coeur. They placed a little bench right next to the vineyard so you can sit there and spend three hours admiring the views. It's very, very beautiful."