Arrived in Paris today

Paris is always a good idea.

Audrey Hepburn

Bonjour from Paris! I arrived this morning from Newark, New Jersey. The flight was mostly empty which allowed pretty much everyone to have an entire row to themselves. It’s been many years since I’ve been on a plane so empty. Because of all the mix-ups with the flights to Newark and Paris, two of my bags did not make it to Paris this morning. The United luggage representative was friendly and helpful in finding these bags were still in Newark and delivering them on the next flight to Paris this evening. They will deliver the bags to my flat. It’s a good thing I packed my essentials in my carry-on.

I decided to take a taxi from Charles de Gaulle Airport rather than Uber/Lyft since the taxi was actually a little cheaper (53 Euros versus 55 Euros) and more convenient to find at the airport. The taxi driver was German who spoke a little French and English. My French is still limited, so we used a mixture of French and English to communicate. It was fun. Since it was after rush hour, the trip to the hotel only took about an hour.

I’m staying in an AirBnB flat for the next month until I find a more permanent place to live. The AirBnB is a quaint flat in a quaint building with a quaint courtyard. I really like the place. There are grocery stores and multiple metro stops within a five minute walking distance from the flat.

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And the first place I visited was my literal and figurative happy place: Place du Tertre. My first visit was in eighth grade on a school history trip of Western Europe. I fell in love with the plaza and have visited it almost every time I’ve been to Paris. It’s a great place to sit-down, eat some good food, and watch people pass by. Most of the cafes around the plaza have been there since my first trip to the plaza (a long time ago – decades!?!?). Time seems to stand still for me here. It feels as much like the 1920s as the 2020s. The Basilica of Sacré-Cœur is right next door to the plaza. Both spots are on top of the hill, Montmartre, which overlooks Paris.

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As I travel around Paris, I am amazed how familiar Paris feels. It doesn’t feel foreign at all to me. Yes, I’ve visited Paris about 25 times over my life, but the sights, sounds, and even smells feel like home. We’ll see how my feelings change over time as I experience more and more of the city.

What a wonderful first day in Paris. I am looking forward to my adventures of finding a permanent place to live, start french classes in the next few weeks, decide on which church to attend, and get involved in the swing dance scene. Wish me “bonne chance” (“good luck”)!

Until we meet in Paris…