by Anne Swardson | Feb 6, 2023 | Antique, Colorado, Paris, Virginia
One of the few drawbacks of living in Paris is the feeling of being separated from your roots. I don’t mean family, who can almost always visit or be visited. I mean not being in the place where most of my cultural references were formed. Instead, I live where aging... 
by Anne Swardson | Dec 23, 2022 | Christmas, France, Paris, Poverty
A beggar, looked at realistically, is simply a businessman, getting his living, like other businessmen, in the way that comes to hand. He has not, more than most modern people, sold his honour; he has merely made the mistake of choosing a trade at which it is... by Anne Swardson | Dec 12, 2022 | France, Morocco, Paris, World Cup
In Paris, celebrations, demonstrations and riots tend to take place on the Champs-Elysées — but usually not all at once. Saturday was an exception. The excitement began in early evening, after Morocco defeated soccer powerhouse Portugal 1-0 to qualify for the... 
by Anne Swardson | Nov 28, 2022 | food, France, Paris
Scratch a Parisian, and they will tell you why the food market where they shop is the best. Tourist guides also make recommendations, such as here, here and here. Open-air food markets are an essential part of cooking and no one who wants fresh, tasty ingredients... 
by Anne Swardson | Nov 15, 2022 | France, Paris, Parisbiking, Walking
I’ve always thought of Paris as a city that flows, and not just because a river runs through it. Living here teaches you a kind of malleability and adaptability, in transport and otherwise, that is arguably less present in my confrontational native land. Driving in... 
by Anne Swardson | Oct 31, 2022 | Architecture, France, Paris
Second of two parts This post has been corrected, see below. To some people, the symbol of Paris is the Eiffel Tower. To others, it’s the Arc de Triomphe or the Louvre. To me, the symbol of Paris is a train station: The Gare du Nord, North Station. It represents...