Paris

I had originally planned to go to Australia to celebrate China’s National Week. I’d even made a number of arrangements. Hotels in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. A deposit on both The Ghan train from Alice Springs near Uluru to Adelaide and The Overland to Melbourne. I was very excited to make my first trip down under. But a company leadership meeting came up and I had to be here in Paris. I know. Devastating.

Jokes aside, it did throw a little monkey wrench into my plans. Since I was going to be in Paris, I decided to scrap my Australia plans and instead take advantage of my central European location. So I’ll be here through the end of the week before training up to Maastricht and on to Amsterdam.

I’ve been to Paris once before and, while I enjoyed the city, I didn’t fall in love with it like so many others do. So I’ve been happy to have a little more time this week to give it a second look between meetings. I’m more enamored of it this time around. Mostly, I’ve come to enjoy the cafe lifestyle aspect of it. Paris is a wonderfully calming city when you opt to slow down and not try to race from one attraction to the other.

When I first arrive in the late afternoon, I strolled kind of aimlessly from my hotel in the general direction of the Louvre. The casual pace afforded me time to admire the various architectural styles from Gothic to Belle Epoque. I’ve been here a couple of days now and that’s more or less been my approach. Pick a landmark—an Eiffel Tower here, a Notre Dame there—and just kind of wind my way there, diverting my route upon distraction by a compelling alley or pausing for a snack whenever I came upon a welcome outdoor cafe. I think that might be the best way to experience Paris. Just let it take you where it wants to.