I’ve gone skydiving in Grenoble, I’ve traveled down the wild Amazon river, I’ve gone mano a mano with the peddlers in Mysore. So you could say I’ve been around.
But until today I had never bicycled in Paris. Let me tell you, it’s a heady experience.
First of all, yes, you are taking your life into your hands. French drivers do not fool around. To put it bluntly, your job as a cyclist is to stay out of their path.
Second of all, it’s great fun! There really is no place like Paris, and seeing it by bike is exhilarating. History rushes over you like the wind, and your soul drinks it all in.
Still, there is something about the sheer danger of cycling through the City of Lights that I find oddly appealing.
In particular, I greatly appreciate the appeal of a physical activiy whose allure rests largely on the opportunity to not get yourself killed.