“Really, you’re going to Paris again?” people often ask me.
Yup. It’s inspiring, it’s familiar (at my advanced age it’s nice to not have to figure out everything about a new place), it’s drop-dead gorgeous, the citizens are gracious, the food is fabulous, concert halls, churches and theaters offer unique experiences, it’s easy to get by with just a bit of the foreign language, you can find unique treasures and gifts in tiny specialized shops, it’s safe, it’s temperate, its huge and tiny beautifully maintained gardens and parks are open to everyone, one can comfortably get along as a single person, it’s only 8 hours from Minneapolis, the value-price ratio of almost everything is very favorable, there’s always something to research or figure out if you want to, transportation options in the city are constantly improving, the air is clear, people-watching is a constant source of entertainment, housing/hotel options are plentiful, its museums contain antiquities and priceless works of art, you can engage with others or keep to yourself, learning opportunities abound, you spend your time in buildings that are often hundreds of years old (and not crumbling to the ground!), you see the same sights that attracted and inspired great artists and writers over the centuries, you do ordinary every-day stuff in a different way, whimsy is often around the corner, there’s a certain “feel” to the paving stones and clay paths under your feet, flea markets and antique stores offer the most amazing merchandise, and there’s a certain memorable quality to almost everything you do and experience.
And then there’s the snob appeal!
Join me here sometime?
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