Thanksgiving in Paris.

This Thanksgiving BB and I went to Paris. We made the reservations months ago, and were looking forward to a wonderful time in the cheery holiday atmosphere of the City of Light. Of course, then November 13th happened, and everything changed. Our hotel, in Place de la Republique, was only a few yards away from one of the shootings, where I think four people were killed. This was the memorial just down the block from where we stayed:

It was arresting. I’ve been in this plaza before, and the difference and the mood were noticeable. As were the soldiers with automatic weapons.

However, the fact that the terror event had just taken place – and that it was November – meant that there were few tourists in Paris. Not none, but many fewer than I’d ever seen before. We were able to see many things without waiting in long lines, and get photographs of famous art without dozens of gawkers in the picture.

For example:

The Venus de Milo

And Michelangelo’s Dying Slave

And we could see the great sites without waiting in horrible lines.

Like the Louvre

And the Arc du Triumphe

And the Eiffel Tower took a very short time compared with the last few times I was there.

In all it was a wonderful time. We saw so much and walked something like 43 miles in two and a half days. A fine trip.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous after the attack. But I don’t think we can let terrorists dictate what we do. So we went to France. And enjoyed ourselves unreservedly. Because that’s precisely what they’re trying to stop. And fuck those dudes. Vive la France.