The last few days of my trip were spent soaking everything in while I could. I ate out every chance I got and kept notes about every cafe.

“Le Lutetia on Ile St. Louis is calm and quiet, best place to get an early morning cafe and croissant.”

“Le Maubret is relaxed and a favorite stop for a group of construction workers to grab a beer”

“Le Cardinal St. Germain has a small posse from Quebec and New Orleans that go for wine and not much else. The chef and waitress sit with them.”

I wrote and wrote and wrote, and then I read and read and read, and when I got bored of that, I meandered my way to a museum for inspiration. What it was inspiring, I don’t know. The final tally became: Louvre, 4 times. Orsay, 3 times. Musee Rodin, twice.

(Speaking of writing— I spent the last week meandering my way through some of the poetry I wrote while I was here and decided to publish it to this site. So, more to come on that soon.)

I watched Me Before You Tuesday night and went to the Place Dauphine for a croissant after the male lead in the movie gave this big monologue about how it was his favorite place in the whole world. I couldn’t get over the sheer irony of me hearing about it in a movie and then being able to see it myself the next day.

The day after my key disaster, I also went out and retraced my steps on the slim chance I would magically find the key in the gutter. I even found the woman who I’d bought the bracelet and ring from, unfortunately she had not seen my key. Besides the brief search, I stuck closer to home and made sure to keep two keys on me, in two different places.

I also went out and bought a box of ice cream macarons for the family upstairs. I thanked them again for their help, and that was that! Now that I sit here at my airport gate, I sort of wish I’d had chance to say goodbye before I left, wish them well as they start new here in Paris.

And of course, I did a little more shopping, too. Frankly its a wonder that I got everything to fit, I thought for sure I was going to have to make a stop at the post office, at least to mail my books home. I did choose to leave behind my Cable Area Fall Fest wine glasses; a little piece of me to say “Kennedy was here”. (Plus, anyone who stays there afterwards might look it up— free advertising.)

I chose to make my second to last day my “Bon Voyage” day. I knew that I would be too anxious on my real last day to do anything else besides clean and pack and plan.

I stopped at all my favorite bridges, the Jardin des Plantes, and then meandered to the Eiffel Tower one final time. I had breakfast from Cafe Milou and then I got a salmon rice bowl at a new cafe, and had a glass of wine at Le Maubret. And at the end of the day, I got my first ever tattoo.

As I’ve been broadening my spiritual horizons lately, I chose to get the Leo glyph on left hand. Leo’s are creative, dramatic, and optimistic. We live by the sun. We’re self-confident, courageous, and natural-born leaders. We’re lions.

I think it’s sort of cliche to say that “Paris changed me”, because it didn’t. I evolved here. Now I have a little piece of it that I can keep with me forever. A constant reminder to be courageous, creative, and self-confident— just like a Parisian.

Jusqu’à la prochaine tasse de café!

-Ken