Where did the time go? It's January, so Happy New Year! I remember when our biggest challenge was remembering to change to the new year when writing a check. Nowadays, who writes checks anymore? I am sure in a few years, there will be people that don't even know what they are, or were.
I also had a birthday last month and the good thing about getting a little older, aside from being eligible for discounts on TGV tickets, is that I've seen so many things. Every year (and era) is an adventure. That's for sure.
Last month we saw a lot of adventure, and action, in France, with the Gilets jaunes, woman and men wearing yellow vests, protesting across the country, getting worldwide attention, with a majority of the news showing fiery images from the swanky Champs-Elysées, where stores boarded their windows up in anticipation of the disruption.
Demonstrations in France are usually planned in advance, and authorized, but this was different; a movement of people without a leader took to the streets and protested. Quite a few people asked me if it was safe, and if they should come to Paris?, which I responded to in that post.
Most of the demonstrations were limited to certain areas and although a truck got burned a few blocks away one night. That same evening, in that same area, people were sitting in cafés and having dinner, as if it was just like any other night.
The French have a pretty storied history of protesting and it's not like a strike or demonstration is an uncommon event, although this one was a little more forceful than others. Still, the cafés and restaurants in Paris trying to keep things business as usual. (Partially because businesses were concerned about taking such an economic hit. But the city actually made some places close, for safety reasons.)
