There's a Line for Baguettes

The stars aligned so Jeff and I got a second trip in while he was in Europe. Next destination? PARIS! With his sense of adventure and willingness to do things I didn't get to do last trip, we adapted to the city's pace and spent a fabulous long spring weekend exploring, eating, and getting cultured. But, this is his post- not mine! Enjoy!

Paris has a pollution problem right now. Several times this year already it's exceeded the maximum PPM levels for particulate matter and as a solution, the city has offered free public transportation on the weekends, including bicycles ("velos"). This was not the case during the two days Katie and I were there, and the one time we tried to rent velos in Versailles, the shop was closed. But that was probably the only disappointment of the trip.

Nevertheless Paris delivered on its promise of being big and beautiful in a rustic kind of way. Cobblestones and ancient stone buildings made a nice backdrop for the tailored snappiness of groomed Parisians. Crepes, frog legs, and truffle chicken made its way into my mouth along with a few carafes and bottles of wine in cafes and parks.

The common social bond shared amongst its residents perhaps stems from the outstanding amount of taxes that supports the French way of life. With a fag in hand, legs crossed, and a beer next to an ashtray, Parisians regale each other in sidewalk seating all hours of the day with their swooning vowels and machine gun consonants. C'est la vie, I've heard.

The Mona Lisa, the Eiffel tower, Notre Dame, Versailles, and 6 million dead bodies were all visited by my sister and I. We came, we saw, and we conquered some universal bucket list items. We en guarded against pick pockets. We discussed the ramifications of giving every US citizen 1 airstrike to call in at will. And we had croissants.

In all, a fine trip and a perfect way to cap off my stay abroad. Big shout out to my metro navigator, hotel booker, and big sister Katie!