After an hour of strolling, observing, and eating croissants in the neighborhood surrounding our hotel, we were ready to branch out. Our next stop was a well-known destination, unlike the Promenade Plantée, which is below the typical tourist radar.

We found the nearest Metro station — which I no longer remember — and with the guidance of our smartphones, we were off. My Parisian expert friend, Tony, assured me the Paris Metro is safe and an excellent way to travel. That was reassuring since I was a bit wary of taking the subway in New York earlier that year, despite growing up there.

The metro station was clean, well-maintained, and historic-looking. There was a comforting bustle of passengers, and it seemed more lively than New York. Despite living in Austin for decades, my wife and I are seasoned subway riders. It was only a short time until we swiftly navigated the system — with the help of our hand-held computers.

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