I spent a few days in Paris a couple of years ago. While that's certainly not enough time to really get to know a city, especially a city like Paris, I've also spent quite a bit of time getting to know the history of the City of Light, and I find it at once fascinating and hopeful. One of the most interesting chapters of the history of the city lies in Baron Haussmann. His plans for the "renovation" of Paris, which - admittedly - was in pretty rough shape in the mid-1800s (no wonder there were so many riots!) finds parallels throughout history. His motivation was not only to increase the health of the city, but to improve transportation in and around the city. It is perhaps apocryphal that his efforts were designed to help troop movements to quell riots and circumvent barricaded roadways, but it did help with navigation and way-finding, something motorists and tourists would appreciate for generations. In this, he may have been inspired by Sixtus the Fi...
This is a blog where I can put down some of my thoughts into the world to see what happens.