The last time I was in Paris, gendarmes with sub-machine guns were patrolling Charles de Gaulle airport. That was over 20 years ago when a series of planes were hijacked and taken down. It was a more dangerous time to travel than ever before.
I wonder how it will be now in a post-911 world.
I remember being shocked at seeing armed men on the lookout strolling through the vast airport, constantly scanning the throngs of tourists, travelers and employees milling around counters and wait areas. In a strange way it comforted me to see we were being protected but it was also very sobering to see a realistic view of the world we were living in.
I discovered a Paris from the inside as my cousin and friend led me to sights and through the intricacies of the city. It was a Paris that was vibrant, hot, perpetually light till late night, surfeit with delicious cheese, wine, bread, and butter—even the butter tasted better there. It was a society that was more heterogeneous than I had imagined, diverse with ethnic restaurants and a changing workforce. This was also my first trip out of Asia into a land where despite knowing three languages I could not understand what people were saying. It was liberating and discomforting.
It was in all a memorable summer.
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