Random Thoughts As I Was Leaving Paris

I departed from Paris after the SCBWI European conference on Easter Sunday. My taxi driver was Chinese-French, and since I can't speak either of those languages, it was a long, quiet ride to the airport.

So I had time to think.

And I even wrote those thoughts down....

We're driving parallel to the Seine River. The lyrics to On My Own haunt me. I want to cry about the lights that are misty on the river.

We're driving through a lot of tunnels. I wonder if one of these is the one where Princess Diana was killed. Chills.

Ooh, no! The taxi driver is going to cut off a guy on a moped. I hope we don't hit him! Whew, we didn't.

When I arrived three days ago, the taxi driver took a different, more scenic route (Champs Elysees, Eiffel Tower). I wonder if I paid more for that ride than I will for this one.

It's Easter Sunday and THE STORES ARE OPEN! OMG! Can you tell I live in Germany, where stores closed for the least important holidays?

There are more flowers blooming in Paris than in Germany.

I can't believe 1400 people were evacuated from the Eiffel Tower thirty minutes after I left it due to a bomb threat yesterday.

A cemetary - is that the one where Jim Morrison and Edith Piaf are buried?

Parisians litter more than Nurembergers. Or at least they clean it up less.

Just passed a one-story tall statue of a man with a motorcycle helmet and no arms. Huh.

Taxi driver is ignoring the speed limit. Big Time.

Just passed the exit for Le Bourget airport, where Charles Lindbergh landed in 1927 after the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris. (My dad's a Lindbergh fan so I know this stuff).

Not all of Paris is pretty.

Just passed a statue – two humungous sumo wrestlers in bright-colored undies holding up a pink storage container. Would have liked a picture of that one but we were going too fast. Here's a link (it's no longer at the same location as in the picture).

A slum on the side of the highway. People appear to live there in ancient camper trailers among piles of garbage.

Arrival at Charles de Gaulle airport! Interesting, the first taxi three days ago, with the scenic route, was actually cheaper. But this one was faster.

Can't wait to get home to the family. Guys, I'm on my way.