The Perils of Paris

Remnants of a "Near Death Experience," Paris Residence. 

Every time I get an email from Father Jun Lee he keeps telling me to “be careful” and come home safe.  I always respond that I always look both ways before crossing the street and am always very careful and responsible.

Eifel Tower seen from the Champs de Mars, Paris.

So what could happen?  Well you could have a wardrobe fall on you!  That is exactly what happened last week.  I had just hung up some clothes and as I was closing the wardrobe door the entire thing fell on me.  While I can laugh about it now it wasn’t funny at the time.   It had me pinned under it.  With a little doing I was able to get out from under it.  While it left me with some black and blues I’m pretty sure I will live.

Eglise du dôme (Napoleon's Tomb) - Les Invalides, Paris.

An even greater peril in Paris is vacation.  Vacation can be perilous for the tourist.  All the attractions for the most part are open.  But one could starve as a good number of the stores and restaurants are closed for three to four weeks at a time.  It’s rather crazy.  The chaplain at the nursing home says that only 40% of the French take a summer holiday.  Well if that is true, then most of those traveling must work near where I am living.   It is a virtual ghost town.

A sign indicating the month off.

I’m sure there are many perils in Paris that my “New York Streets Smarts” keep me safe from.  I just never considered toppling furniture or closed stores to be included in that!