That evening I took the 18:55 Thalys to Brussels. Walking out of the Brussel-Midi station, the feeling that this was not Paris was instant: there was a clear qualitative difference, and beyond a few obvious external traits I could not put a finger on why I felt the difference so strongly. Understanding that may require a few more weekend trips to Paris, I told myself. Not a bad thought, after all.
Parmanu 