✨55✨ (Part 2)

A trip to Paris and a rendezvous (or two)

If you missed Part 1 you can find it here.

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✨55✨ (Part 2)

In one of my favorite pieces from this past (cursed) year, I told you about my return to Amsterdam. What I didn’t tell you is that in the middle of that trip I took the train to Paris for my birthday. Look how casually I dropped that in there. Ah yes, bien sûr, train to Paris for my birthday, so on and so forth, as if this is a thing that one simply does.

The plan had actually come together quickly. One of my best friends and her family would be in Paris the same week I’d be in Amsterdam. How fun would it be to meet up? When would we ever get a chance to do that again? I felt safe guessing never. So I booked my ticket. Her daughter and I share a birthday so, not wanting to intrude on their plans, I arrived the day before then planned to explore on my own on my birthday, returning to Amsterdam that night. It didn’t matter that I’d be spending my birthday alone, a choice I’ve made many times before. What mattered to me is that I’d be away, in a parallel universe, experiencing a completely different kind of birthday.

I had no idea how completely different my birthday would end up being. I had no idea that meeting up with my best pal wouldn’t be the only rendezvous of that trip.