So the other day when we were in St. Germain, we had just reached the top end of Blvd. St. Michel when we heard a cacophony of sirens and the street started stacking up with police vehicles, including one heavily armoured van. There were a dozen total, all lights blazing. The most disturbing element was that the police (4 to a car) were all wearing black balaclavas and earpieces and looked like terrorists themselves. They got through the intersection and more police cars continued randomly flying by for the next fifteen minutes. We couldn’t find any reported incident for that day (Jen checks the news every night) That’s how it is here.

Below, Mara risks the automated, self-cleaning public toilet. Exits unscathed.