On travel, John Wick, and writing
Bonjour,
I just got back from a week in London & Paris. It was rejuvenating. It’s always lovely to go to a place where people speak a language you’re unfamiliar with. It really makes you feel you’re in a new place.
I’m glad for a recent resolution on learning some basics of the language of any place I visit. My barely passable French helped cue that I’d tried to learn more than bonjour and merci, even if I murdered the pronunciation. Sacré bleu!
We thoroughly enjoyed Paris even though my wife’s phone was stolen there. We spent a reasonable time trying to file police reports and to see if the thief might switch on the phone and be geo-located (they didn’t). It’s a testament to a great city that even this mishap wasn’t enough to dampen our love for it, and our resolution to be back for longer.
In Paris, given our limited time, we chose a fun way to see the city— we visited locations featured in the Keanu Reeves blockbuster, John Wick 4. More specifically, we visited #17, #11, #10, #8, #5, and #3 in the places listed here.
Till some years ago, every time we’d visit a new city or country, I’d pick up a copy of the Lonely Planet guide to that place. With search, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and Google Reviews, that changed. I’m not sure if it was for the better. Sometimes, seeing the world though another person’s eyes beats a crowdsourced score of 4.3 on 5. Oh, I also tried Chat GPT recommended itineraries but didn’t have the heart to follow through on those recommendations.
In recent times, in an attempt to revisit “curated by a human” travel, I’ve started to check out the New York Times’ 36 hours travel feature - which is a great way to sample some parts of any city. This was our guide for London and Paris. I’ve been to London many times on work but never as a wide-eyed tourist. Thanks to 36 hours, Tina & I landed at the “no-frills, only talent” Top Secret Comedy Club—just one hour after landing and checking into our hotel in London.
This trip was also a reminder of how much I love writing, how it helps connect with people, and how much I’ve missed it. More on this rediscovery soon — after I embrace some new writing habits.
Speaking of soon, I’m doing an experimental workshop next week. It’s free. Do join if you find analogies fascinating too. Friends are always welcome…
Till next time.